In the Laces’ last matchup, Feb. 17 against the Hive, Jackie Young drilled a late 3 to seal a 76-61 win. The victory gave the Laces their ninth win in 11 games and handed the Hive its eighth loss of the season.
Young played a key role, finishing with 15 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists in just 17.8 minutes. She complemented strong outings from Brittney Sykes and Alyssa Thomas as the Laces closed cleanly. The clutch shot marked Young’s fourth game-winner of the season, tying her with Kelsey Plum and Breanna Stewart for the most this year.
Young currently ranks 18th in the league in scoring, averaging 16.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting 44.9 percent from the field. She and her teammates have controlled the season, holding the No. 1 seed while riding a three-game winning streak. The Laces also became the first team to clinch a playoff spot, doing so with their eighth win Feb. 6 against the Lunar Owls.
Can The Laces Win It All?
Holding the No. 1 seed, the Laces also rank third in the league in team averages, trailing the Phantom at No. 2 and the Mist at No. 1. Even so, the Laces look like the favorite heading into the postseason.
With three games left, they have a real shot to finish February unbeaten. Next up is their toughest remaining test: a Feb. 20 matchup against the No. 2-seeded Phantom, who are 8-3 and riding a four-game winning streak. The Phantom also boast two top-10 producers in Kelsey Plum and Aliyah Boston. Undoubtedly, this matchup could preview just how intense the playoffs will be.
Jesse Vanderveer is a basketball reporter and writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @JesseVanderveer22
