LAS VEGAS – The Aces got superstar A’ja Wilson back from a three-game absence (concussion) on Friday, but her presence still wasn’t enough to overcome a balanced effort from the Seattle Storm’s starting lineup in a 93-98 rout at Michelob Ultra Arena.
Wilson tallied her 104th career double-double, her fifth of the season, finishing with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Jackie Young led the Aces with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including a 3-of-5 clip from beyond the arc. Jewell Loyd added 15 points on 5-of-13, while rookie Aaliyah Nye provided a significant spark off the bench with 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting (3-of-4 from 3).
Seattle’s Nneka Ogwumike led all scorers with 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting, making 2-of 3 from 3 and grabbing 12 rebounds. Skylar Diggins-Smith was right behind Ogwumike with 24 points, making 8-of-17 field goal attempts and 2-of-3 from 3-point range. Gabby Williams added 18 points and Erica Wheeler added 17, while former Ace Alysha Clark tallied 2 points on 0-of-4 shooting in 28 minutes in her first game back in Las Vegas after leaving in free agency.
The Aces led by as many as 11 points in the third quarter after a dominant second, briefly building upon the seven-point lead they brought to halftime. Things began unraveling during the third quarter and the Storm eventually gained control for good in the fourth thanks to some spotty shooting from Las Vegas.
“Maybe I'll just start a different five in the third quarter,” Hammon said. “We'll see. Anything's on the table at this point because it's gross. Our defense was atrocious again in the third and that was the first five, not that second unit.
“I actually thought our second unit had a good run there from the end of the first into the second. It can't get worse than that first five in the third quarter. I'm going to discuss it with some of my coaches, but I might change who we start in the third quarter.”
The Storm’s starting lineup outscored the Aces by 20 points, 88-68, and outrebounded them 38-28 overall. However, due to Nye's strong performance, Vegas did outscore Seattle 15-2 in bench points. The Aces are back in action at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday, with Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever coming to town for a noon PDT matinee tilt that will air nationally on ABC.