July 30, 2026 - 9:20 pm

Las Vegas Aces stars A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young split the game in half in a 104-99 victory over the New York Liberty on Thursday night at Michelob Ultra Arena.

Despite an uncharacteristically quiet opening two quarters in which she shot just 20% from the field, Wilson took over after the break, finishing with a game-high 33 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.

Wilson, a four-time MVP, recorded her 14th double-double of the season and second straight while moving within two blocks of passing Lauren Jackson for sixth on the WNBA’s all-time blocks list.

On the other end, Young carried the offense early, pouring in 22 first-half points while knocking down three consecutive 3-pointers during the opening four minutes. She has now scored at least 20 points in three straight games and at least 15 in each of the Aces’ last five contests.

The victory was Las Vegas’ first over New York since Aug. 13, 2025, snapping a three-game losing streak in the series that included the Commissioner’s Cup championship on June 30.

“Jackie got off to some really good rhythm shots,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said. “We also had 25 assists tonight, which means we were probably getting a good amount of quality looks.

“We’re always going to shoot a better percentage when we’re taking good looks. I was happy with the way the ball was moving, which led to that efficient field-goal percentage.”

The turning point came during the final five minutes of the third quarter, when the Aces held the Liberty to three field goals and established an offensive pattern that carried into the fourth.

Las Vegas forced 13 turnovers and converted those mistakes into 12 points, helping maintain control down the stretch.

“I think we did a good job of not being rattled,” Aces guard Jewell Loyd said. “We did a good job of just playing our game and understanding the flow of the game.

“They threw a lot of stuff at us, and we didn’t seem to panic. There were obviously some stretches where we were saying, ‘OK, what is going on?’ but we were able to understand that and regroup.”

The Aces also found success from beyond the arc, particularly early in the game, helping offset New York’s advantage in the paint. The Liberty finished with 50 points inside and outrebounded Las Vegas 34-26.

Las Vegas shot 46% from 3-point range on 28 attempts, its best mark over the previous 10 games.

Two-time WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart led New York with 26 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field.

Stewart entered the contest ranked fourth in the league in scoring, averaging 25.2 points per game since the Liberty’s previous meeting with the Aces on June 23.

“I like where we are right now,” Aces guard Chelsea Gray said. “We’re trying to get better, and we’re getting better in real time. We’re making adjustments in real time, and that’s the difference between playoff teams and championship teams.

“I think this upcoming road trip is going to tell us some things based on how we play and how we dictate the defensive end.”

The Aces begin their longest road trip of the season on Saturday with a matinee matchup against the Chicago Sky.

Las Vegas will look to complete a season sweep after winning the first two meetings, including an overtime victory at T-Mobile Arena on July 3.