This story sponsored by Change Lanes To Pass Bicyclists
Story by Alan Snel Photos by Hugh Byrne
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — The Caitlin Clark Road Tour and the Indiana Fever roared into the T-Mobile Arena Sunday, but it was Las Vegas Aces who closed the deal in the final quarter to snap a three-game skid in a noontime nationally-televised WNBA game on ABC-TV.
The Aces trailed entering the fourth quarter, but they methodically wore down the Fever, playing more clutch and hitting more shots down the stretch to secure an 89-81 win over Indiana with 18,547 in attendance.
The Aces’ three-time MVP, A’ja Wilson, had a rough first half on 2-for-13 shooting but she led the Aces in the second half to the win with 24 points. The Aces improved to 6-7, as Jackie Young contributed 19 points, Chelsea Gray added 18 and Jewell Loyd scored 10. Rookie Aaliyah Nye came off the bench with 11 points.
It was a packed house in the arena that houses Vegas Golden Knights games, UFC spectacles and upper-tier boxing matches. The stoked crowd included many Fever and Clark fans, who roared with approval when she nailed a three-pointer to give Indiana a 40-30 lead with 3:20 to go in the first half.
It turned out to be Clark’s sole three-pointer of the game.
Aliya Boston, a South Carolina grad like Wilson, had a monster first half with 18 points on 9 of 11 shooting as Indiana held a 42-36 lead after 20 minutes. Meanwhile, Clark was off the mark on 2 of 9 shooting in the first half.
Indiana led the Aces, 61-58, heading into the fourth quarter, but Las Vegas outscored the Fever, 31-20, to drop the Fever to also 6-7.
The much-hyped Clark made 7 of 20 from the field, but only 1 of 10 from 3-point land as she finished with 19 points.
Boston led Indiana with 26 and Kelsey Mitchell had 20 points.
Fever player Sophie Cunningham also read a statement from her cell phone before the game, explaining that a new WNBA players Collective Bargaining Agreement is a “defining moment” and that players are fighting for a “fair share” of the league’s revenues. Rookie players make about $66,000 a year, while the top salary tops out at $250,000, with the average salary being about $147,000.
“The only thing that is still capped is players’ salaries,” Cunningham said on a pre-game video filmed by Las Vegas sportswriter Willie Ramirez. “We deserve a fair share to reflect our true value.”
Players are looking for “transformational change,” she said.
PSA