Aces close Mohegan Sun Arena era with vintage Wilson performance

Las Vegas players A'ja Wilson (#22), Jackie Young (#0) and Chennedy Carter (#23) are pictured during the team's second straight win in Connecticut. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

Though the Las Vegas Aces tallied its first single-digit win of the season, the contest never appeared to be in doubt as the team continued its early-season win streak.

After winning its first two games by a combined mark of 56 points, Las Vegas beat Connecticut, 101-94, Friday, May 15 as part of a second straight game from Mohegan Sun Arena. Barring a playoff matchup, the Aces have played their final game in the Mohegan Sun Arena as the Sun franchise prepares to move to Houston next season.

“This building has been special to me for a while,” forward A’ja Wilson said. “I got my first WNBA point in this building, won our first championship in this building and now we’re leaving here with something [again].”

Guard Chelsea Gray also weighed in on what the building means to her and her career.

“I was drafted here,” she said. “It’s a lot of memories here, it gave me an opportunity to play here in this league.”

That makes three straight wins for the Aces, all of which came on this four-game road trip that concludes this weekend. In one final road showing this go-around, the team will head to Atlanta for a meeting with the Dream Sunday, May 17.

Tip-off is slated for 10:30 a.m.

“We’ve got some stuff we’ve got to clean up on the defensive end,” head coach Becky Hammon said. “We had some quarters where we gave up too much and we’ve got to clean those things up before Sunday.”

Aces forward A'ja Wilson lines up to shoot a pair of free throws en route to 45 points against the Sun. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

Wilson turned in a vintage MVP performance and it was evident early on both ends. In the first quarter, she recorded 11 points on a perfect 5-for-5 from the field to go along with two blocks. In total, she made her first six shots from the floor on her way to a 19-point first half with 6-for-7 shooting numbers to show for it.

By the third quarter, Wilson had reached the 20-point threshold before any other starter reached double-figures.

“You always want the best player on the planet to shoot more,” Hammon said. “You spend a little time out in training camp with a few bumps and bruises so I think really now she’s trying to get her rhythm back.”

Thirteen points were scored by Wilson in both the third and fourth quarter respectively as she finished with 45 points on a hot 15-of-18 shooting. She is the only player in league history with multiple scoring nights of 45 points or more.

“I feel great,” she said. “When you are able to find shots within our system and just let the flow of the game take over, that’s big to me. It’s beautiful to rack up all these points but are they going to be efficient? Those are the numbers that I look at so if I’m able to do that I’m going to be okay.”

While being an offensive scoring machine, Wilson paired it well with her stellar defensive night as she anchored the paint. Connecticut started the game 1-of-5 from the field before shooting 9-of-21 in the first quarter.

It wouldn’t be an entirely smooth night for the Aces as the home team cut the deficit to four points in the second half. Ultimately, Las Vegas got the win without ever trailing, something the franchise has done this entire road trip.

For most of the game, the Aces’ offense was clicking enough to keep the team positioned for a win. At one point of the first half, the team connected on 18 of its 24 attempts on the way to shooting 66% by halftime. By the end of the game, the collective shot 60% in the win.

Furthermore, Las Vegas handed out 24 assists on 35 made field goals.

Las Vegas guard Chennedy Carter hangs in the air for a layup inside Mohegan Sun Arena. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

“We’re still in learning mode,” Hammon said. “We’re still learning certain no-no’s defensively, what we like offensively. Honestly, different rotations, seeing what combinations work best. Still very much in learning mode, myself included.”

Gray led the team with 10 assists and seven rebounds as part of her double-double night to go along with 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting. Of those four makes, three came from three-point range which accounted for half of the team’s downtown output.

“When you come to work everyday and you’re playing alongside greats, it’s a blessing,” she said. “I’m thankful each and every day for our health and the ability to go out there and play with them every single night.

“And when you’ve got somebody scoring 45 points and only missing three shots, that’s amazing.”

Fellow starting guard Jackie Young added 13 points of her own while reserve guard Chennedy Carter added 18 points with eight makes on 12 free throw tries. Carter has now scored 77 total points through the team’s first four games of the year, which ranks second on the team.