Uncasville, Conn. — A'ja Wilson scored 45 points and the Las Vegas Aces beat the Connecticut Sun 101-94 on Friday night, extending their winning streak to three games after opening the season with a loss to Phoenix. Wilson was nearly unstoppable from the start, finishing 15 for 18 from the field and making all 13 of her free throws.
Wilson set the tone early with 19 points in the first half, making six of her seven shots overall and all five of her field goal attempts in the first quarter. Las Vegas led 54-44 at halftime, then survived Connecticut's push in the third quarter before pulling away again with Wilson in the middle of it. Chennedy Carter added 18 points for the Aces, continuing a strong stretch in which she had been averaging 19.7 points in 21 minutes while shooting 73% from the field before Friday's game.
Connecticut, now 0-4, made a run after trailing 69-56 with just under four minutes left in the third quarter. Saniya Rivers helped ignite a 14-3 spurt with back-to-back 3-pointers, and the Sun got within 72-70. Wilson answered with a 3-pointer off a timeout and then converted a three-point play on the next possession to push Las Vegas back ahead 78-70, fueling a 16-4 burst that stretched across the third and fourth quarters.
The Sun were short-handed again without Brittney Griner, who missed her second straight game because of a left foot injury, and Olivia Nelson-Ododa, who was out with a right ankle injury. Aaliyah Edwards made her season debut after missing the first three games with a left thigh injury and scored six points in 17 minutes. Hailey Van Lith led Connecticut with 17 points. Las Vegas continues a four-game trip at Atlanta on Sunday, while Connecticut is scheduled to play at Portland on Monday.
