LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Aces came within one shot of extending their winning momentum Wednesday night. Instead, the Washington Mystics completed a dramatic comeback to earn a 100-99 victory at CareFirst Arena in one of the most exciting finishes of the WNBA season.
Washington erased a late deficit with a strong fourth-quarter run. The Mystics took their first lead of the final period when Shakira Austin converted a three-point play with just 12.8 seconds remaining. Chelsea Gray had one final chance for Las Vegas, but her game-winning three-point attempt missed as time expired.
Wilson delivers another MVP performance
A’ja Wilson once again led the Aces with an outstanding all-around effort. The reigning superstar poured in 38 points while adding seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocked shots.
Wilson controlled the paint for much of the night. She attacked the basket, hit key mid-range jumpers and kept Las Vegas in front for most of the contest.
Jackie Young also enjoyed another strong outing. She finished with 24 points and helped stretch Washington’s defense throughout the evening. Chelsea Gray added 19 points and continued to direct the offense with her veteran leadership.
Mystics rally in the fourth quarter
Washington refused to let the game slip away.
Trailing by nine points during the second half, the Mystics slowly chipped away at the deficit. Strong offensive rebounding and timely baskets helped shift the momentum in the closing minutes.
Shakira Austin led Washington with 25 points. Sonia Citron added 20 points and eight assists, while Lauren Betts contributed 13 points off the bench. Kiki Iriafen recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, giving Washington valuable second-chance opportunities.
The Mystics finished with their highest scoring total in a regulation game this season.
A close game until the final buzzer
Las Vegas appeared to be in control entering the fourth quarter. However, Washington answered with several clutch baskets during the final minutes.
Austin’s and-one play gave the Mystics their only lead of the final quarter. Gray’s last-second three-pointer narrowly missed, allowing Washington to celebrate one of its biggest wins of the season.
The victory improved the Mystics to 14-12 entering the WNBA All-Star break. The loss dropped the Aces to 18-8, ending a stretch in which Las Vegas had won three of its previous four games.
Although the result was disappointing for Las Vegas, Wilson’s dominant performance continued her MVP-caliber campaign. The Aces will now use the All-Star break to regroup before returning to the court for the second half of the season.
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Las Vegas Aces
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WNBA
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