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Story by Cassandra Cousineau Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
The powerful Las Vegas Aces did not look very invincible in the first quarter against the upstart Dallas Wings at Michelob Ultra Arena on the Strip Wednesday night, trailing by as many as 14 points in the first 10 minutes.
And the Aces trailed, 51-42, at halftime.
But then Las Vegas ratcheted up the defense in the second half, outscoring the Wings, 47-31, and winning their 16th game in 17 tries.
The Aces remained unbeaten at Mandalay Bay with the 89-82 win, wrapping up the five-win homestand in front of another loud crowd. It was a sellout with 10,177 as announced attendance.
The Aces are 10-0 at home.
“We earned everything tonight,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said during her post-game press conference.
The Aces missed All-Star Kelsey Plum who was out with “non-covid” flu like symptoms. That left a noticeable hole in the team’s play calling.
“Plum is a huge deal for us,” Hammon said. “She does some things for us offensively and defensively that no other player on our team does.”
Las Vegas took about three quarters to shake off the 8-win, nine-loss Dallas team.
“I don’t mind getting punched. I don’t mind a fight. What I’m concerned about is how we respond,” Hammon said of her team’s tenacity.
The Aces 10-game home win streak is good enough for eighth on the WNBA’s all-time list.
They have quite a ways to go to catch the Los Angeles Sparks, which rattled off 28 straight home victories during the 2020 season played in the Bradenton, Florida bubble.
The game was also one for the community. Local Heroes Night featured a fast-paced and barely competitive halftime game between the Henderson Police Department and Las Vegas Metro Police Department. LVMPD outscored their Henderson comrades 10-4. Local company Harris Capital Mortgage Group sponsored 200 tickets for First Responders.
Las Vegas’s biggest lead of the game came at 3:41 in the third quarter when Wilson, the newly selected WNBA Western Conference Player of the Month fired from the wing pulling the Aces ahead 83-76.
Las Vegas next travels to Dallas for a Friday evening game against the Wings.
Natasha Howard led Dallas with 32 points, while Arike Ogunbowale — who played with Young at Notre Dame — scored 12 points.
Las Vegas’ next game is in Dallas Friday evening.