LAS VEGAS (AP) — A’ja Wilson had 28 points and 14 rebounds, Jackie Young hit 6 of 8 from 3-point range and finished with a season-high 27 points, and the Las Vegas Aces beat the Golden State Valkyries 84-79 on Saturday for their first home victory of the season.
Chelsea Gray added 12 points, six rebounds and six assists for Las Vegas. Gray has 1,134 assists and moved past current Aces coach Becky Hammon (1,133) into first place on the franchise’s career assist list.
Wilson had her third consecutive double-double and her fifth this season.
The Aces (7-3), the defending WNBA champions, have won three straight following back-to-back losses.
Gabby Williams scored a career-high 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting for the Valkyries (6-5). Veronica Burton added 15 points, Janelle Salaun scored 11 and Kayla Thornton had 10.
Wilson hit a jumper from the left with 52.9 seconds left, Burton answered with a layup and Young made a pull-up 3-pointer with 24.2 seconds left to give the Aces a two-point lead. Young and Wilson each made two free throws to seal it.
Williams made a layup to open the scoring, Golden State’s only lead until Tiffany Hayes hit a 3-pointer that made it 61-58 with 8:48 left in the game.
Golden State scored 14 of the final 19 first-half points and trailed 38-35 at halftime. Wilson outscored the Valkyries 14-13 in the first quarter as the Aces took a seven-point lead. Thornton and Salaun each made two of Golden State’s five second-quarter 3s.
Chennedy Carter (leg) missed her second consecutive game for the Aces.
The Aces beat Golden State 91-81 on Sunday in San Francisco.
Up next
Valkyries: Host Phoenix on Tuesday.
Aces: Host Seattle on Monday.
___
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
The Associated Press
