LAS VEGAS (Oct. 9, 2026) – The Las Vegas Aces (0-3) 2026 season came to a heartbreaking end with an 87-77 overtime loss in Game 3 of the WNBA Semifinals against the Golden State Valkyries (3-0) inside Michelob ULTRA Arena on Friday night. The Aces Big 3 combined for 56 points and featured A’ja Wilson’s game-highs of 21 points and 10 rebounds, Jackie Young’s 18 points and Chelsea Gray’s 17 points and game-high 5 assists. Kalani Brown, who saw her first start in an Aces uniform, nearly notched a double-double with 8 points and 8 boards.

Kayla Thornton led Golden State with a team-high 18 points, followed by Gabby Williams‘ 16 and 11 apiece from Tiffany Hayes and Kiah Stokes.

Stats | Gallery | Highlights

TEAM	1	2	3	4	OT	Final
Aces	19	26	7	19	6	77
Valkyries	16	20	17	18	16	87

1st Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 19, Golden State 16)
After a slow start the past 2 contests, the Aces threw the first punch by scoring the first 5 points of Game 3. During that 2 minute stretch, the Aces held Golden State to 0 of 4 from the floor. The teams traded baskets until Las Vegas went on a 8-2 run for a 17-10 lead with just over 2 minutes to play. After 2 made free throws from Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, Golden State scored the last 4 points of the quarter. Both teams hit on of 40% (6-15 FGs) of their shot attempts, while combining for 3 of 14 from beyond the arc, including 1 of 6 from the Aces. Wilson led the field with 7 points, while no Valkyries player scored more than 4.

2nd Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 45, Golden State 36)
Gray scored 10 of the Aces first 13 points of the second quarter as the Aces extended their lead to 32-26 with more than 6 minutes left on the clock. Neither team was able to string together a run, but a pair of Aces 3s and a traditional 3-point play helped the home team edge out to a 9-point halftime lead. Las Vegas shot well from the floor, knocking down 9 of 13 (.692) overall and 66.7% (4-6 3pt FGs) from 3-point, while Golden State hit 8 of 20 (.400) overall and only 2 of 5 from deep. Gray outscored all players with 13 points — half of the Aces second quarter total — with a perfect 4 of 4 from the floor and 2 of 2 from 3-point, while Cecilia Zandalasini tallied 5.

3rd Quarter Highlights (Golden State 53, Las Vegas 52)
After Wilson made 2 free throws to start the third, the Aces shooting went cold. In addition to 3 turnovers, they shot 0 of 12 from the field before Young hit the team’s first field goal at 2:07. Meanwhile, the opposition scored 17 straight points to take their first lead on the night and go up 53-47. Young finally stopped the bleeding with the Aces first field goal at the 2:07 mark and followed with a 3-pointer to close to 53-52. The Aces shot 12.5% (2-16 FGs) from the floor and 1 of 4 from distance, while Golden State made 40% (6-15 FGs) overall and 3 of 6 from 3-point range. Young and 3 Golden State players each scored a high of 5 points.

4th Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 71, Golden State 71)
Wilson once again began the quarter at the free throw line, tying it up at 53-53 for the first knotted score of the ball game. Las Vegas regained the lead at 56-55 to spark a 12-4 Aces scoring run over the next 2 minutes for a 65-59 advantage. With the Aces again up 6, 69-63, Golden State scored the next 8 points for a 71-69 lead with 1:12 to play. After an Aces turnover and a stop on the defensive end, Becky Hammon called timeout with 32.8 seconds left. Out of the timeout, the Aces ran a sideline out-of-bounds play that left Young wide open under the basket to even it up at 71-71 with 26.6 left. After a crucial rebound on a Williams missed shot, and after the Aces used their reset timeout, Gray’s pullup attempt with 3.9 seconds left bounced out and the game headed into overtime. The Aces connected on 40% (6-15 FGs) from the field and hit 1 of 2 from 3-point; Golden State shot 6 of 16 (.375) overall and missed all 3 of its 3-point attempts. Young led all scorers with 10 points and Veronica Burton scored 6 for the Valkyries.

Overtime Highlights (Golden State 87, Las Vegas 77)
The Valkyries scored the first 4 points of overtime, despite shooting 2 of 6 to start, for a 75-71 lead. A Gray jumper with 2 and a half to play put the Aces at a 75-73 disadvantage before Golden State scored 8 straight, during which time the Aces missed a pair of shots and gave up 4 points off 2 turnovers, for a 83-73 lead with 46.9 seconds to play. The Aces were unable to recover. Las Vegas made just 3 of 9 from the floor, missed both 3 attempts and earned zero trips to the line; Golden State was 4 of 8 overall, went 0 of 2 from deep and was 8 of 8 from the charity stripe.

KEY STATS
The ACLU is currently tracking 531 anti-LGBTQ+ bills across our nation, zero of which are in Nevada.

Women still make just 78 cents for every dollar earned by men. Black women earn only 64 cents and Latinas only 54 cents for each dollar earned by white men.

There were 3 knotted scores, all of which were in the fourth quarter, and 3 ties, 2 of which were also in the final frame.

Gray’s game-high 5 assists turned into 11 points.

Golden State took the lead for the first time at 48-47 with 3:25 left in the third quarter.

The Valkyries, who average 10.5 3s a game this postseason, hit only 7.

	FGM-A	PCT	3PM-A	PCT	FTM-A	PCT	OFF	DEF	REB	AT	PF	ST	TO	BK
Aces	26-68	.382	7-20	.350	18-22	.818	6	29	35	13	18	3	15	6
Valkyries	30-74	.405	7-24	.292	20-22	.909	10	33	43	16	23	12	10	4

Points scored ….

	In the Paint	2nd Chance	Fast Break	Off TOs	Bench
Aces	32	4	5	7	13
Valkyries	40	13	11	17	27

GAME NOTES

Wilson’s game-high 10 rebounds passed Tamika Catching‘s 598 on the all-time playoffs list and is now No. 3 with 600.

With only 5 minutes elapsed in the first quarter, Wilson overtook Diana Taurasi’s record of 489 made field goals to become No. 1 on the all-time postseason list, and did so in 61 games compared to Taurasi’s 73.

With her 5 rebounds, Gray passed Lindsay Whalen (214) and Tina Thompson (216), and now lists at No. 18 on the postseason rebounding list with 218.

With her 1 steal tonight, Wilson broke a tie with DeLisha Milton-Jones (73) for sole possession of the No. 8 spot.

Wilson notched her 37th career playoff game with at least 20 points.

Wilson has scored in double figures in a league-high 40 consecutive playoff games, and she has scored at least 20 in each of her last 12 playoff games.

Young (96) is now No. 7 on the all-time 3-pointers made list after her 2 3-pointers passed Katie Douglas (95).

Gray moved past Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen with 52 10-point games in the postseason for No.5. Wilson sits at No. 4 with 56 such games.

After tipoff, Wilson and Young broke a tie with Sue Bird for 60 playoff games each and entered a tie with No. 11 Courtney Vandersloot at 61 games apiece.

Gray’s 5 rebounds moved her past Kiah Stokes (168) and Sophia Young-Malcolm (169) and now is No. 3 in franchise playoff history with 171.

The Aces were full healthy (besides Janiah Barker and NaLyssa Smith, who are out for the season).

Up Next: Fin ~~

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