LAS VEGAS, NV — A’ja Wilson delivered another MVP-caliber performance Thursday night, recording 33 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Las Vegas Aces to a hard-fought 104-99 victory over the New York Liberty.
Jackie Young provided the perfect complement to Wilson’s dominance, finishing with 27 points and nine assists as Las Vegas improved to 20-8 on the season. Chelsea Gray chipped in 16 points before fouling out in the closing seconds.
The game came down to the final possessions.
With 17.9 seconds remaining, Wilson appeared to lose possession of the ball as it went out of bounds. Officials ruled it was last touched by New York, and because the Liberty had already exhausted their coach’s challenges, the call stood. Young then calmly knocked down all four of her free throws in the closing moments before adding a key steal to secure the victory.
The loss snapped New York’s three-game winning streak after the Liberty entered the contest riding the momentum of a high-scoring 113-109 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks earlier in the week.
Breanna Stewart led New York with 26 points and 11 rebounds while reaching another significant career milestone. Early in the third quarter, Stewart moved into 10th place on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list, surpassing Candace Parker with 6,588 career points.
Pauline Astier added 19 points for the Liberty, while Sabrina Ionescu contributed 15. Jonquel Jones, the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game MVP, struggled offensively, finishing with eight points on 2-of-11 shooting.
Las Vegas established control early behind the hot shooting of Young. The veteran guard scored a career-high 22 first-half points, connecting on 7 of 9 shots, including three 3-pointers, to help the Aces build a 52-44 halftime advantage.
Wilson continued to control the paint throughout the second half, consistently finding ways to score against New York’s defense while anchoring the Aces on the boards.
The contest marked the third meeting between the two WNBA championship contenders this season. New York had won the previous two matchups, earning an 87-76 regular-season victory on June 23 before defeating Las Vegas 93-85 in the Commissioner’s Cup championship on June 30.
This time, however, the Aces protected their home court by making the key plays in the closing seconds to earn an important victory in the race for playoff positioning.
The star-studded atmosphere inside the arena included boxing legend Floyd Mayweather, who watched the matchup from courtside.
The Liberty (16-13) continue their road trip Saturday when they travel to face the Phoenix Mercury, while the Aces (20-8) head to Chicago to take on the Sky.
