Yoopya with Associated Press
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A’ja Wilson became the first WNBA player to score 1,000 points in a season when she finished with 29 in the Las Vegas Aces’ 84-71 win over the Connecticut Sun on Sunday.
Wilson hit a pull-up from the elbow with 2 minutes left in the game to reach the mark. Earlier this week, the Aces’ star broke the single-season scoring record that Jewell Loyd set last year. Las Vegas called timeout about 30 seconds later and her teammates mobbed Wilson.
She then went out on the court and acknowledged a loud ovation from the crowd, clapping her hands.
The Aces (25-13) hold a one-game lead over Seattle for the No. 4 seed in the playoffs and home-court advantage in that series. Las Vegas has won seven of its last eight games.
Connecticut (27-11) trails the Minnesota Lynx by two games for the No. 2 seed. The two teams play in Connecticut on Tuesday.
The Sun made just 4 of 16 from the field — 0 of 5 from 3-point range — in the third quarter as the Aces stretched an eight-point lead at halftime to 71-51 going into the fourth. Young’s pull-up jumper midway through the period made it 58-47 and Las Vegas led by double figures the rest of the way. Wilson was dominant at both ends, making 6 of 8 from the field and both of her 3-point shots while scoring 14 points with four rebounds and two blocks in the third quarter.
Marina Mabrey led the Sun with 18 points. Brionna Jones added 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting and nine rebounds and Tyasha Harris scored 16 points.
Jones is averaging 20.1 points per game on 66% (59 of 89) shooting in seven games during the month of September.
Kelsey Plum, who finished with 14 points, hit a 3-pointer to five the Aces the lead for good and spark an 11-1 run that made it 48-40 when she capped the spurt with a step-back jumper to close the first half.
