Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith attempts a layup while Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray prepared to defend and Aces center Kiah Stokes looks on, during Tuesday’s game at Target Center. Photo by Abe Booker III/Sportspage Magazine
MINNEAPOLIS – A 14-2 fourth quarter run gave the Minnesota Lynx the separation they needed to down the Las Vegas Aces 76-62 in front of 8,802 spectators at Target Center on Tuesday night.
The Aces started the game on an 8-0 run with a three-pointer and free throw from guard Jewell Loyd and two jump shots from forward Tiffany Mitchell in the first three minutes of the game. Minnesota missed their first four shots of the game and turned the ball over twice during that stretch.
Lynx forward Napheesa Collier connected on a short jumper and made a free throw after getting fouled by Aces center Kiah Stokes. Minnesota forward Bridget Carleton stole the inbounds pass and converted an easy fast break layup to make the score 8-5 in favor of the Aces with 6:28 remaining in the opening frame.
The Aces managed to stay one step ahead of the Lynx for the rest of the quarter. Minnesota pulled to within one point on three different occasions during the rest of the quarter, but the Aces countered with every shot the Lynx made. When McBride stole the ball and attempted a layup, she was fouled by guard Chelsea Gray and had to settle for two free throws instead. On the next possession, Mitchell picked up a loose ball and converted a layup. Hiedeman made a reverse layup with just under a minute to go, which was answered by a buzzer beating shot by forward Kierstan Bell to lift the Aces to an 18-15 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Aces outshot the Lynx 53.3 percent to 29.4 percent in the first quarter. Las Vegas gave up eight turnovers which led to nine Minnesota points, compared to four Lynx turnovers that gave the Aces five points during the frame.
Las Vegas Aces forward Tiffany Mitchell shoots a midrange jump shot over Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams during Tuesday’s game at Target Center. Photo by Abe Booker III/Sportspage Magazine
When the second quarter began, Hiedeman scored a quick layup to trim the Lynx deficit to one point. Aces forward Jackie Young answered with a jump shot and free throw after getting fouled Minnesota guard Courtney Williams. Collier then made a layup for the Lynx to make the score 21-19 with 8:35 left until halftime.
Then the Aces pushed hard. Guard Dana Evans put up a three-pointer. Then Loyd hit one. After that came one from Stokes. Three minutes, three three-pointers for the Aces. Then Gray was fouled by Minnesota forward Alanna Smith. After converting the two free throws, Las Vegas was on an 11-0 run.
After McBride scored a layup, Young connected on another three-pointer which extended the run to 14-2. Young slipped on the floor shortly afterward and held her knee while lying on the court. She walked off the floor and headed to the locker room with the trainers. Young returned for the second half. The Aces led 35-21 when Las Vegas called the injury timeout with 3:26 left in the first half.
It was Minnesota who used the timeout to regroup. Hiedeman made a reverse layup. McBride made a jump shot. Forward Diamond Miller hit a three-pointer and made a layup. The Lynx finished the half on a 9-4 run. The Aces led 39-30 at the half.
Minnesota used the momentum from the end of the first half to start the third quarter on a 10-1 run. Collier made a layup. Williams made two jump shots. Miller scored on a layup and two free throws after getting fouled by Gray. Las Vegas managed one of two free throws after Gray was fouled by Miller. The Aces took a full timeout after the Lynx tied the game 40-40 with 5:26 left in the third quarter.
Aces guard Aaliyah Nye broke the tie with a three-pointer, but Carleton answered with one of her own to tie the game at 43-43.
Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman shoots a reverse layup over Las Vegas Aces guard Aaliyah Nye during Tuesday’s game at Target Center. Photo by Abe Booker III/Sportspage Magazine
The Lynx took the lead on a layup from Smith. She was fouled by Young, but missed the free throw. The Lynx run was at 15-4.
Loyd reclaimed the lead for the Aces with a three-pointer, but baskets by McBride and Williams put the lead back into Minnesota’s column. The lead see-sawed back and forth for the rest of the quarter. A layup by Smith gave the Lynx the 56-52 lead when the third quarter ended.
Courtney Williams decided during the quarter break to shoulder the load for the home team. She made a put back layup to start the fourth quarter scoring. It was answered by a layup from Mitchell. Then Williams came alive. She made a free throw after getting fouled by Young. Smith made a free throw after getting fouled by Aces center Elizabeth Kitley. Then Williams hit two three-pointers and a jump shot while Hiedeman sandwiched a layup in between. The Lynx roared out to a 14-2 run in the beginning of the fourth quarter and led 70-54 with 5:32 left on the clock.
Gray and Bell each made three-pointers and Gray made a shot to try to get the Aces back into the game, but Smith made two shots and a free throw for the Lynx to clinch the 76-62 victory. Immediately after the game, it was announced that the Minnesota Lynx would host the Indiana Fever for the Commissioner’s Cup championship on Tuesday July 1 at Target Center.
Minnesota went 29-for-76 (38.2 percent) from the field; 5-for-23 (21.7 percent) from three-point range; and 13-for-17 (76.5 percent) from the free throw line. They turned the ball over 10 times for 15 Aces points.
Las Vegas Aces forward Jackie Young tries to get a shot off by squeezing between Minnesota Lynx forwards Alanna Smith and Bridget Carleton during Tuesday’s game at Target Center. Photo by Abe Booker III/Sportspage Magazine
“We didn’t expect that we just show up and the game is going to be easy. Anything far from that,” said Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve. “I thought Vegas’s first half of defense was about as hard as anything they’ve played, so give them credit.”
Las Vegas went 23-for-64 (35.9 percent) from the field; 9-for-24 (37.5 percent) from three-point range; and 7-for-9 (77.8 percent) from the charity stripe. They committed 21 turnovers for 27 Lynx points.
“Twenty-one turnovers. Think about that. You’re turning the ball over every other minute, every other minute,” said Aces head coach Becky Hammon. “Throw in the nine offensive rebounds they got in the fourth quarter, like, that’s a lot of possessions. It’s hard to manipulate those numbers.”
The points-in-the-paint advantage went to the Lynx by a 40-22 margin. Minnesota also led with a 13-2 margin in fast break points, though the Aces bested the Lynx 17-15 in the second chance points category. Minnesota also outscored Las Vegas 24-15 from the bench. There were three ties and five lead changes during the game. The Aces largest lead was 14 points while the Lynx topped out with a 16 point lead.
“We stuck with it and sort of wore them down by the fourth. A lot of their shots were short,” said Reeve. “I thought it was impressive the resiliency that we showed.”
Minnesota Lynx forward Diamond Miller screams with excitement after a play against the Las Vegas Aces Tuesday night at Target Center. Miller scored 12 points for half her team’s bench points in the outing. Photo by Abe Booker III/Sportspage Magazine
The Lynx were led by 20 points and five assists from Courtney Williams. Natisha Hiedeman and Diamond Miller each contributed 12 points. Alanna Smith chipped in for 10 points and led all rebounders with 13.
“I was just having fun out there. I told them in the locker room that playing basketball is so much fun. I love playing basketball, no matter what – good or bad days,” said Miller in her first ever post-game press conference. “Being on the court is something I live for. It’s not just a job. I really love this stuff.”
The Aces were led by 12 points and eight rebounds from Jewell Loyd. Tiffany Mitchell also added 10 points. Kiah Stokes contributed eight rebounds, tying Loyd’s figure. Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray each dished six assists to lead the Aces.
“We’re still looking to play a complete 40 minutes. Until we learn to do that, we’ll continue to lose. The huge lapses with the turnovers – it’s about impossible to overcome,” said Hammon.
Minnesota (11-1) hosts Los Angeles (4-9) for a 7 p.m. CT matchup against the Sparks on Saturday. Las Vegas (5-6) host Seattle (7-5) for a 9 p.m. CT game against the Storm on Friday.
