A’ja Wilson recorded game highs of 34 points, 13 rebounds, five steals and two blocked shots to power the Las Vegas Aces past the visiting Los Angeles Sparks, 87-71, on Sunday.
Behind Wilson’s dominant effort, Las Vegas (17-9) bounced back after losing its first game since the Olympic break. In the process, the Aces ended a two-game skid while sending Los Angeles (6-21) to its fourth consecutive defeat.
Wilson went 12-for-20 from the floor and 10-for-11 from the free-throw line en route to her third 30-point outing against the Sparks this season. She went for 31 points in a June 9 meeting and 35 in a July 5 contest.
However, Los Angeles knocked off the two-time defending WNBA champion Aces the previous two times. Las Vegas avoided a third such defeat and salvaged a split of the four-game regular-season series between the teams by holding the Sparks to 18 points or fewer in each of Sunday’s final three quarters.
The Aces’ defense forced Los Angeles into 21 turnovers, including six from Dearica Hamby. Las Vegas limited Hamby to 13 points on 4-of-12 shooting from the floor, including a 1-of-5 showing from 3-point range.
The Aces outshot the Sparks 49.2 percent to 40.3 percent overall and 44.4 percent to 26.1 percent from deep.
Rickea Jackson led the Sparks with 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field, but she was 0-for-3 from long range. Jackson finished with five rebounds, while Hamby led the team with 11.
Kia Nurse rounded out the Sparks’ double-figure scorers with 12 points.
For Las Vegas, Kelsey Plum went for 18 points and knocked down 4 of 7 shots from 3-point range. Jackie Young added 10 points and dished out four assists, and Tiffany Hayes posted 11 points coming off the Aces’ bench.
The Sparks were within 54-51 with 3:13 left in the third quarter following a pair of Crystal Dangerfield free throws, but Las Vegas answered with an 8-0 run that included four points from Wilson and four from Sydney Colson.
The Aces went on to lead by as many as 19 in the fourth.
Wilson had 13 points and seven boards in the first half, sending Las Vegas into the break with a 44-37 edge.
–Field Level Media