Carter’s game-high powers Aces to second straight explosive win

Las Vegas guard Chennedy Carter goes up for a floater in the team's win over Connecticut. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

Hard to believe the Las Vegas Aces could put forth a more dominant performance than their 27-point drubbing for their first win of the season.

However, that’s exactly what they did when Las Vegas earned its second straight win via a 98-69 win over the Connecticut Sun Wednesday, May 13.

“I think we have a resilient group,” forward A’ja Wilson said. “I think we have a group that’s ready to work regardless of what the score may show. And you can work with things like that.”

Wednesday counted as the second game of a four-game road trip for the defending champions. Moreover, it was the first of back-to-back games in Connecticut.

The latter of those meetings will come Friday, May 15 from the Mohegan Sun Arena with tip-off slated for 4:30 p.m.

“I kind of like early road trips,” head coach Becky Hammon said. “You get in that foxhole early with each other. There are no distractions, at home you have distractions, family and what-not. On the road, it’s kind of nice because it’s just us.”

For a second straight game, first-year Ace Chennedy Carter led the team in scoring. She poured in 14 first half points to set the stage for another big scoring night.

“Hammon’s just encouraging to me,” she said. “One of the biggest things she’s told me is what I have potential to be on both sides of the ball. She said she’s going to bring the best out of me and she’s going to push me.

“That doesn’t mean that she’s getting on me but she sees my potential. She’s going to ride me and be hard on me but ultimately it’s to make me better. And I’ve embraced that, being coached hard and being asked to do more and it’s bringing the best out of me honestly.”

Aces forward A'ja Wilson reacts to an and-one finish inside Mohegan Sun Arena. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

Carter cashed a buzzer-beater to conclude the third quarter that saw her Las Vegas team win the frame, 30-16. At that point, the team had the Sun down 25 points on the way to leading by as many as 36 points in the fourth quarter.

As a team, Las Vegas shot 54% while holding its opponent to 33% from the field.

“We’re still very much in teaching mode,” Hammon said. “Getting our system in place. Luckily, I’ve got a really good group of vets that help teach.”

Carter finished with a game-high 27 points on a red-hot 13-for-16 shooting while adding eight rebounds and four assists. With that shooting performance, she became the first in league history to shoot 60% or better from the field off the bench in each of the first three games of the season.

“You have a three-level scorer coming off the bench that can give you 30-10-5,” Wilson said. “Not a lot of teams have that. So for her to come in and just be her – we don’t ask too much of her, we just ask her to do her job.”

In total, the Aces’ bench outscored the Sun bench by 12 points further indicated by 11 points from guard Jewell Loyd and 10 points from center Cheyenne Parker-Tyus.

Las Vegas guard Jackie Young gets up for a rebound during the team's 29-point win over Connecticut. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Aces

The double-digit scoring effort by Parker-Tyus is her first since July of 2024.

“Just different combinations,” Hammon said. “I went with Cheyenne too off the bench. The bench is so loaded, some nights it’s going to be you and some nights it’s not.”

Las Vegas scored 58 points in the paint en route to the win. Connecticut played its third straight game without 10-time all-star Brittney Griner.

Wilson had 16 points through the first three quarters of the game including 10 in the third quarter. She’d finish with her first double-double of the season with 22 points and 11 rebounds which was tied for the game-high.

Wilson overcame early foul trouble to the tune of three fouls in the first nine-plus minutes of the game. In total, the referees called seven fouls in the first five-plus minutes of the game including two on guard Jackie Young, who still posted 11 points and six assists in the win.

Forward NaLyssa Smith was the only player who fouled out in the game.

“[Jackie] told me she could play with two [fouls], so I let her play,” Hammon said. “Even when A’ja picked up her fourth. I’m still letting them play through a little fatigue as we try and build up our wind and endurance.”