SOLD OUT! Las Vegas Aces Shut It Down Like the Summer Solstice

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The Las Vegas Aces officially shut it down Wednesday 19th (Juneteenth) at the Michelob ULTRA Arena.  Not only did they defeat the Seattle Storm 94-83 but they just announced that they are the first team in the WNBA to sell out ALL inventory tickets for the rest of 2024 season.  This includes 18 games at the Michelob ULTRA Arena dnd 2 games at the T-Mobile Arena. Las Vegas is 7-6 on the year, but 1-0 since the return of the Point Gawd, Chelsea Gray. The Aces take on front-running Connecticut (12-1), Friday, June 21, at Michelob ULTRA Arena beginning at 7:00 pm PT. The sold-out game is being broadcast nationally on ION. Aces has definitely turned the heat up even hotter than the Summer Solstice and before they drop the mic, let’s talk about the game vs the Storm.

First Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 29, Seattle 16)

The Aces took an early 5-3 lead (8:21), one they wouldn’t relinquish for the remainder of the game. Holding a 14-11 edge, the Aces closed the stanza on a 15-5 run. Young scored a quarter-high 14 points (6-9 FGs) for the home side and Ogwumike had 5 for the Storm. The Aces made 11 of 21 from the field to the Storm’s 6 of 13 field goal attempts. The Aces, who had no turnovers in the period, converted the Storm’s 6 turnovers into 9 points and outscored the Storm 12-6 points in the paint.

Second Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 47, Seattle 32)

An 8-2 spurt by the Storm sliced the Aces lead to single digits, 39-30, with 3:40 left in the first half. However, the Aces countered with an 8-2 run of their own to end the half up by 15.  Hayes and Young scored 5 apiece for the Aces, while Ogwumike finished with 7 for Seattle. Las Vegas connected on 46.7% of its field goal attempts, while holding Seattle to 37.5%.

Third Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 66, Seattle 54)

The Aces, whose lead never fell below 11 points, shot 53.8% from the field to the Storm’s 39.1%. Plum, 8 points, and Young, 7, led the Aces. Ogwumike scored 9 for Seattle.

Fourth Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 94, Seattle 83)

A late 11-2 surge by the Storm brought them back to an 11-point deficit, but the Aces let them get no closer. Wilson led all fourth-quarter scorers with 16 points, while Jordan Horston had 13 for Seattle. The Storm connected on 55.6% from the field for their best shooting quarter of the game. However, the Aces were a red-hot 71.4%

Chelsea Gray checked into the game with 1:41 to play in the first quarter. It was her first game played since October 15, 2023, when she injured her left foot in Game 3 of the 2023 WNBA Finals. She handed out her first assist of the 2024 season on a Clark triple with 1:21 to go in the period. That was also the 1,500th assist of Gray’s career. She now has 1,506 and is the 9th player in WNBA history with at least 1,500 assists.

Gray (3,684 points, 1,506 assists) became the 7th player in WNBA history with at least 3,500 points and 1,500 assists, and was the third-fastest to accomplish the feat, doing so in 299 games (Sue Bird, 279; Lindsay Whalen, 294).

Wilson has scored at least 20 points in 18 straight regular season games which extended her WNBA record.

Wilson had 2 blocked shots and lists No. 15 on the WNBA career blocks chart and No. 4 among active players with 375. She needs 11 more to move into the No. 14 spot (Tamika Catchings, 385).

The 32 points marked Young’s second time this season and third time in her career she’s scored 30 or more points.

Las Vegas has been responsible for 4 of Jewell Loyd’s 9 lowest scoring outputs of her career—0 points on July 19, 2019; 1 point on August 7, 2022, 1 point this evening, and 2 points on June 25, 2019.

Hayes earned her first start with the Aces.

The Aces now hold an all-time 45-44 edge over the Storm in regular season play, including 28-16 at home.

The Aces were without the services of Kierstan Bell (lower right leg injury).

The Aces welcomed 10,380 fans to Michelob ULTRA Arena, which equals the fourth-highest attendance at an aces game at MUA.

NEXT UP

Las Vegas concludes its 3-game home stand on Friday, June 21 as they welcome the Connecticut Sun to Michelob ULTRA Arena. Tip is slated for 7 pm PT on ION.

SOURCE: WNBA Las Vegas Aces