LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jackie Young scored a career-high 29 points and had 10 rebounds, A’ja Wilson added 20 points and the Las Vegas Aces beat the Minnesota Lynx 102-81 on Wednesday night.
Young, in her third season out of Notre Dame, went 14 for 19 from the field to top her previous best of 27 points set in May.
Riquna Williams scored all 16 of her points in the first half for Las Vegas. Chelsea Gray had a season-high 14 assists and Dearica Hamby returned from injury to score 14 points. Las Vegas was without center Liz Cambage after she was diagnosed with COVID-19 last week.
Las Vegas (21-8) sits 1 1/2 games behind WNBA-leading Connecticut — with three games to play. The Aces entered the day with a chance of clinching a first-round bye in the playoffs but needed a loss from Phoenix, which rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat Atlanta.
Napheesa Collier scored 18 points for Minnesota (18-10), which had won 13 of its last 15 games. Sylvia Fowles had 10 points and 11 rebounds. Minnesota was without point guard Layshia Clarendon.
Collier and Fowles combined to score 23 of Minnesota’s 41 points in the first half, and the Lynx trailed by 14 points.
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