The Las Vegas Aces drew one of the team’s biggest crowds ever in Las Vegas with an announced attendance of 8,430 as the Aces stopped a three-game losing streak with a spirited 92-86 win over the Los Angeles Sparks at Mandalay Bay Events Center Saturday night.
It was the last game of the home schedule for the Aces, which is locked in a playoff position fight with the Sparks. The Aces are 20-12, while the Sparks are 19-12.
Aces win 92-86 over the Sparks Saturday night. Photo by: Cassandra Cousineau/LVSportsBiz.com
The Aces’ win had the atmosphere of a playoff game. After losing three in a row on the road, the WNBA team that already clinched a playoff berth settled into the game and made several runs in the third and fourth quarters to earn the win over the rival Sparks club. Aces’ leading scorer A’Ja Wilson had her best outing since returning to the team from an ankle injury by scoring 24 points. She said her “ears were ringing at some point” because the crowd was so loud.
Playoff-like crowd was intense throughout the game. Photo by: Cassandra Cousineau/LVSportsBiz.com
Even the Sparks fans who traveled down I-15 were part of a chorus making it difficult to decipher whistles in the game’s waning seconds. For the first time since 2012, when the team was in San Antonio, the Aces reached the 20-win mark. Kelsey Plum was the number one pick of that San Antonio team in 2017, and hasn’t always lived up to the lofty expectations that came with her arrival. Plum, who has struggled for most of her time in an Aces uniform, was overcome with emotions while being interviewed on the court following the win. “There were a lot of low points for me this year, the NCAA’s scoring record holder said. “I’m so grateful I had teammates who always believed in me and always stuck by me,” Plum said through tears.
Including Plum, four Aces players scored in double figures to walk down the Sparks and secure the win. Court side season regulars, Raiders team owner Mark Davis and MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren stood up in a wave of cheers several times as the team made its comeback win from being down by as many as 12 points.
MGM Resorts International Jim Murren
For now, the Aces moved a half game in front of Los Angeles for the third spot in the WNBA standings. It’s an important spot since the top four teams will earn a first round bye and at least one home game. The team hits the road for the final two games of its 2019 regular season.
Over in Downtown Summerlin, the Las Vegas Aviators of the Pacific Coast League had an announced attendance of 10,618. The Tacoma Rainiers defeated the Aviators, 3-2, Saturday night on Fan Appreciation Night.
There was even car racing action at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Saturday night. The Speedway reported that three drivers forever etched their names in Speedway’s The Bullring’s history books by clinching track titles at Pack the Track Night presented by K&N Air Filters Saturday. Chris Clyne won the NASCAR Super Late Models 50-lap feature – his ninth victory of the 2019 season – to put an exclamation point on his first championship at Las Vegas Motor Speedway short track. Clyne – whose father, Richie, founded LVMS – now has 22 career Bullring wins.
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Alan Snel brings decades of sports-business reporting experience to LVSportsBiz.com.
Snel covered the business side of sports for the South Florida (Fort Lauderdale) Sun-Sentinel, the Tampa Tribune and Las Vegas Review-Journal. As a city hall beat reporter, Snel also covered stadium deals in Denver and Seattle.
In 2000, Snel launched a sport-business website for FoxSports.com called FoxSportsBiz.com.
After reporting sports-business for the RJ, Snel wrote hard-hitting stories on the Raiders stadium for the Desert Companion magazine in Las Vegas and The Nevada Independent.
Snel is also one of the top bicycle advocates in the country.
