A’ja Wilson becomes Aces’ all-time leading scorer as they beat Wings 104-85

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A’ja Wilson scored 28 points and became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer Sunday as the Las Vegas Aces beat the Dallas Wings 104-85.

Wilson also grabbed 10 rebounds, her 11th double-double of the season, a made 11 of 22 from the field, 3 of 4 from 3-point range. The No. 1 overall selection in the 2018 WNBA draft, has 4,301 career points and moved past Sophia Young-Malcolm (4,300).

Kelsey Plum added 23 points, Jackie Young scored 18 and Chelsea Gray 12 for the Aces.

Wilson and Plum had 13 points apiece on combined 10-of-18 shooting in the first half and scored the Aces’ final 11 points as they took a 51-48 halftime lead. Plum was fouled as she made a driving layup and hit the and-1 free throw to close the second quarter before Wilson hit a jumper and a 3 to open the second half and Alysha Clark hit a 3-pointer with 8:31 left in the third quarter that made it 60-48.

Dallas trimmed its deficit to a little as eight points on two occasions early in the fourth quarter — both after baskets by Odyssey Sims — but got no closer.

Sims led the Wings (5-17) with 25 points, her most in a WNBA game since she scored 26 for the Atlanta Dream on Aug. 17, 2021. Natasha Howard added 14 points and Arike Ogunbowale scored 13.

SUN 80, DREAM 67

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — DeWanna Bonner scored 23 points, hitting a career-high seven 3-pointers, to help Connecticut beat Atlanta Dream for their third win in a row.

Tiffany Mitchell added 13 points and Brionna Jones scored 11 points for Connecticut. Alyssa Thomas added seven points, nine assists and seven rebounds.

Mitchell and Bonner each hit a 3-point in a 9-0 run that made it 17-11 with 2:20 left in the first quarter and the Sun led the rest of the way.

Allisha Gray hit a mid-range pull-up jumper that cut Atlanta’s deficit to 24-20 midway through the second quarter but Veronica Burton answered with a 3-pointer and Jones made a layup before Bonner hit again from behind the arc to give Connecticut a 12-point lead. The Sun led 34-24 at the half.

The Dream made 4 of 11 from the field and committed five turnovers while scoring just eight points in the second quarter before Connecticut scored 33 points — one fewer than its first-half total — on 9-of-11 shooting in the third quarter to open an 18-point lead going into the fourth.

STORM 84, SKY 71

SEATTLE (AP) — Nneka Ogwumike scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to help Seattle beat Chicago despite the Sky’s Angel Reese setting the WNBA record for consecutive games with a double-double.

Jewell Loyd, who scored two points on 0-for-5 shooting in the first half, finished with 20 points. Skylar Diggins-Smith had 15 points and eight assists and Ezi Magbegor added 13 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks for Seattle (14-7).

Reese finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds and four steals for Chicago (8-12), her 13th consecutive double-double. The rookie posted a season-high 27 points to go along with 10 rebounds in the Sky’s 88-84 victory over Seattle on Friday’ and tied Candace Parker for the longest double-double streak in league history.

Reese made back-to-back baskets before Chennedy Carter twice made a pair of free throws to cap an 11-2 run that trimmed the Sky’s deficit to 72-69 with 2:49 to play. Jordan Horston responded with two free throws and then found Magbegor for a layup to spark a string of 12 consecutive points that pushed the Storm’s lead to 84-69 when Loyd made a layup with 33.2 seconds remaining.

Carter led the Sky with 21 points and Marina Mabrey added 14 points and six assists. Rookie Kamilla Cardoso finished with six points, eight rebounds and four blocks.

MERCURY 84, SPARKS 78

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Natasha Cloud scored a career-high 31 points, Kahleah Copper added 25 points and 10 rebounds and Phoenix beat Los Angeles.

Dearica Hamby hit a step-back 3-pointer that made it 70-67 with 5:39 to play and gave the Sparks their first lead since 10-9. Brittney Griner answered with two free throws before Copper added a driving layup.

The teams traded leads until Griner drew a double team on the block and kicked it out to Mikiah Herbert Harrigan — who made her first career start — for a wide-open 3-pointer gave Phoenix a 78-76 lead with 1:10 remaining.

Rickea Jackson’s putback made it 78-apiece with 41.1 seconds to go.

Cloud knifed into the lane and made a finger roll about 7 seconds later and, after McDonald missed from 3-point range, Cloud grabbed her career-best ninth rebound and was fouled. She hit both free throws to make it 82-78 with 23 seconds left.

Copper capped the scoring when she hit two free throws with 13 second remaining.

Phoenix (11-10) won back-to-back road games for the first time this season.

The Associated Press