A’ja Wilson had 30 points with 15 rebounds, left briefly with an apparent injury, then returned to help the Las Vegas Aces win 107-99 over the host Chicago Sky on Sunday.
Jackie Young scored 18 of her 28 points in the first half, and Chelsea Gray added 18 for Las Vegas (14-5). The Aces shot 52.4% overall and made 31 of 37 free throws (83.8%). They led by as many as 18 points in the second half but allowed the pesky Sky (6-13) to get within six late before pulling away to win for the 10th time in 12 games.
The crowd at Chicago’s United Center gasped collectively at 7:20 remaining in the fourth quarter when Wilson fell to the floor after seeming to roll her ankle. She cautiously entered the Aces locker room but returned with 7:05 left, scored 10 more points, and made a crucial steal with 3:13 remaining to maintain a six-point lead.
Kamilla Cardoso and Azura Stevens each had 24 points for Chicago, which shot 46.3%, but went 16 of 25 from the free-throw line in losing its sixth straight to the Aces.
The game was tied at 31 after one quarter, but Las Vegas used a 5-0 run early in the second to lead 38-33. Las Vegas built a 61-45 advantage late in the period.
The Sky, though, used a Skylar Diggins 3-pointer and a basket from Stevens to get within 61-50 at the break. Chicago’s Gabriela Jaquez scored the first bucket out of halftime, but Young and Wilson combined to score eight of the game’s next 11 points as the Aces led 69-55.
Chicago, however, used a 6-0 spurt to get within 71-64, but Young’s uncontested layup with 4:42 left in the third followed, then Chicago-area product Jewel Loyd hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Aces up 79-64.
These teams combined to shoot 26 of 45 (57.8%) during a first period that featured 14 lead changes and concluded at 31-31. Young had 10 points in the quarter, while Cardoso and Elizabeth Williams (10 points) each scored eight.
Rookie Sydney Taylor scored 14 for the Sky.
–Field Level Media
