Jackie Young saves the day for the Aces

The Las Vegas Aces secured an 88-84 victory over the Dallas Wings on Friday night, led by Jackie Young's remarkable performance of 28 points, including a flawless 8-for-8 from the free-throw line during a decisive 17-2 run to close the game. Jewell Loyd contributed 21 points, highlighted by the go-ahead 3-pointer with just 28.3 seconds remaining, while Chelsea Gray added 13 points to the winning effort. The Aces played without MVP A’ja Wilson, who is recovering from a concussion sustained on Wednesday.

For the Wings, Arike Ogunbowale led the scoring with 26 points, while Paige Bueckers, in her second game back after a four-game absence, added 16 points. DiJonai Carrington scored 15 points, and Luisa Geiselsoder chipped in with 13.

Dallas appeared to be mounting a comeback, extending their lead to 82-71 with 3:55 left in the game. However, the Aces' relentless effort, marked by 10 consecutive points from the foul line, four critical turnovers, and four offensive rebounds, set the stage for their comeback. With less than a minute remaining, Chelsea Gray secured an offensive rebound and assisted Loyd for the decisive 3-pointer.

The Wings had surged ahead in the third quarter with an 18-0 run, turning a nine-point halftime deficit into a 58-49 lead. Despite this, the Aces rallied, cutting the gap to 70-64 by the end of the third quarter. However, 10 turnovers by Las Vegas allowed Dallas to capitalize, scoring 14 points off those mistakes.

The Aces' accuracy from the foul line proved pivotal, as they shot 26 of 28 compared to Dallas' 10 of 11. Young sealed the win with two final free throws, handing the struggling Wings their seventh consecutive loss.