LAS VEGAS (May 14, 2024)—After receiving their 2023 WNBA Championship rings and raising their second championship banner in as many years, the Las Vegas Aces (1-0) downed the Phoenix Mercury (0-1) 89-80 on Tuesday night in front of a record crowd of 10,419 fans at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas. A’ja Wilson’s double-double of 30 points and 13 rebounds led the Aces. Also scoring in double figures were Jackie Young (23 points) and Kelsey Plum (19).
Diana Taurasi led the Mercury with 23 points after shooting 7 of 11 from 3-point range.
First Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 29, Phoenix 14)
With the score tied at 8, Wilson scored 11 points in a 15-2 Aces run that ended with a Plum drive at 2:49 that put the Aces up 23-10. Wilson scored 17 points on 7 of 10 shooting from the field. The Aces shot 63.2% (12-19 FGs), held the Mercury to 27.8% shooting (5-18 FGs) and scored 10 points off 6 Phoenix turnovers.
Second Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 42, Phoenix 41)
Phoenix hit 5 of 6 from behind the arc, while Las Vegas shot just 1 of 8 from afar, as the Mercury outscored the Aces 27-13 in the quarter. Rebecca Allen hit a pair of 3s and totaled 10 points for Phoenix, while Plum’s 7 points paced the Aces. Taurasi went 4 of 6 from beyond the arc in the first half for 12 points.
Third Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 68, Phoenix 62)
Neither team strung together more than 6-straight points and the Aces won the quarter 26-21. Las Vegas went 5 of 9 from behind the arc, while Phoenix hit on 4 of 11 from long range. Young, who netted 4 of her 5 field goal attempts, including both her 3-point attempts, scored 10 points for the Aces. Kahleah Copper had 8 for the visitors.
Fourth Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 89, Phoenix 80)
Seventeen of the Aces 21 points in the 4th period came from the line (17-18 FTs overall). Young scored a high of 9 points, all from the charity stripe. The Aces held a 13-point lead with 4:28 to play, but the Mercury hit a trio of 3s in closing to 83-80 with 1:17 remaining. However, the Aces connected on all 6 of their attempts from the line to close out the game.
KEY STATS
It has been 1,523 days since Breonna Taylor was murdered. In 2022, three officers were federally charged with conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and civil rights violations. One of the officers later pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy, marking the first conviction in the case. A second officer went to trial on October 30, 2023, but the jury was unable to reach a verdict, and a mistrial was declared. Charges were refiled, and the new trial is scheduled to being on October 14, 2024.
The ACLU is currently tracking 515 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the United States.
Las Vegas made 25 of 29 free throws attempts, while Phoenix went just 7 for 10.
The Aces outscored the Mercury 36-24 in the paint, and 14-8 on the fast break.
The Aces coughed up just 10 points off their 11 turnovers, and converted the Mercury’s 17 miscues into 23 points.
The Aces shot 40.8% (29-71 FGs) from the field overall, and 20.7% (6-29 3pt FGs) from 3-point, while the Mercury hit 38.2% (29-76 FGs) of their field goal attempts, but 41.7% (15-36 3pt FGs) from afar.
Young (6 assists), Plum (5) and Wilson (5) dished out 16 of the Aces 17 assists.
GAME NOTES
Wilson’s 30 points and 13 rebounds marked the 77th double-double of her career, which ranks fourth among active WNBA players.
Tonight marked the 14th game for Wilson with 30 or more points (10-22 FGs, 10-11 FTs).
The Aces were without the services of Chelsea Gray (lower left leg injury).
The Aces have now won 10-straight games against the Mercury, including playoff contests (May 6, 2022 to present).
The attendance mark of 10,419 is the largest crowd for an Aces game at Michelob ULTRA Arena. The Aces previously welcomed 10,348 fans to their house in a game against Los Angeles on Aug. 19, 2023. The most attended game since arriving in Las Vegas was 17,406 in T-Mobile Arena on Sept. 10, 2023, against Phoenix.
NEXT UP
Las Vegas remains at home for the next three games beginning with Saturday’s 12 pm PT tip against the Los Angeles Sparks on ABC.