WNBA: Las Vegas Aces rally late to defeat Los Angeles Sparks
League-leading Mystics beat Wings for franchise-record win
Sunday 1 September 2019 07:41, UK
A'ja Wilson and Dearica Hamby each had a double-double to help the Las Vegas Aces rally for a 92-86 win over the Los Angeles Sparks.
Los Angeles Sparks 86-92 Las Vegas Aces
A'ja Wilson and Dearica Hamby each had a double-double and Kelsey Plum scored 17 of her 20 points in the fourth quarter to help the Las Vegas Aces rally for a 92-86 win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday night.
Wilson had 24 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks and Hamby added 12 points and 12 rebounds. Kayla McBride scored 14 points and Epiphanny Prince - who signed with the Aces on Wednesday and played in her first WNBA game since July 2018 - had 10 points for Las Vegas (20-12).
The Aces moved a half-game in front of Los Angeles (19-12) for third in the WNBA standings with three games to play. The top four teams earn a first-round bye in the playoffs, which begin on September 11.
Hamby made back-to-back baskets to close the third quarter and the Aces scored 14 of the first 18 points in the fourth to take their first lead when Plum hit a pull-up jumper to make it 72-70 with 6:21 to play.
Chiney Ogwumike made a lay-up to tie it but Wilson answered with a jumper to spark a 12-0 run that made it 86-77 with less than three minutes left. Plum made two free throws and a jumper, hit McBride for a three-pointer and then capped the spurt with a triple of her own.
Las Vegas, who shot 40 per cent through the first three quarters, hit 11-of-15 (73.3 per cent) from the field in the fourth.
Riquna Williams led the Sparks with 37 points, her most since scoring a career-high 51 for Tulsa in 2013.
The Aces committed 16 turnovers compared to just four by the Sparks but outrebounded Los Angeles 48-27.
Washington Mystics 91-85 Dallas Wings
Elena Delle Donne scored 29 points and Emma Meesseman added 19 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and four blocks as the Washington Mystics beat the Dallas Wings 91-85 on Saturday night.
Washington set a franchise record winning their 23rd game of the season and remained in first place in the standings.
Natasha Cloud and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough scored 13 points apiece and LaToyaSanders added 12 points and a season-high 11 rebounds for the Mystics (23-8).
Washington have won three games in a row and 14 of their last 16.
Delle Donne and Meesseman hit back-to-back three-pointers to spark an 11-0 run that gave Washington a nine-point lead when Meesseman's three-point play capped the spurt with 5:39 left in the first quarter.
The Wings scored 13 of the next 18 points to cut their deficit to 23-21 about two-and-a-half minutes later but Delle Donne answered with a three-point play and Dallas got no closer.
Arike Ogunbowale scored 30 points, Glory Johnson tied her season-high with 20 points and Allisha Gray added 14 for Dallas (10-21).
Ogunbowale, who scored 35 in a win over Chicago on Thursday, extended her WNBA rookie record to eight consecutive games with at least 20 points.
The Mystics used a 9-0 run to make it 80-57 - their biggest lead of the game - late in the third quarter. Dallas scored 24 of the next 30 points to pull within six with 90 seconds left.
