The Las Vegas Aces had a chance to close their first-round series Tuesday. Instead, Indiana turned an 11-point deficit into a 99-89 win and forced a deciding Game 3.
Jackie Young scored 31 points, while A’ja Wilson added 22. However, the Aces shot 42 percent and were outscored 58-26 in the paint as the Fever evened the series 1-1.
Caitlin Clark finished with 27 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds before fouling out late. Kelsey Mitchell added 26 points, while Aliyah Boston scored 22.
Gray closes strong
Indiana opened with a Clark 3, but Las Vegas settled in and controlled most of the first quarter.
Chelsea Gray hit a pair of 3-pointers and worked comfortably from the midrange. Young added five points, while Cheyenne Parker-Tyus scored twice inside off the bench.
Wilson did not have the same shooting start she had in Game 1. Still, she got to the line and finished the quarter with six points and five rebounds.
Las Vegas also created problems defensively. The Aces forced four turnovers, recorded four steals and held Indiana to 6-of-17 shooting.
Gray scored five of the Aces’ final seven points, including a 28-footer with 10.5 seconds left. Las Vegas led 26-18 after one.
Indiana flips the half
Jewell Loyd opened the second with a 3, extending the Aces’ advantage to 29-18. From there, the game changed.
Indiana increased its pressure, and Las Vegas began giving away possessions. The Aces committed eight turnovers in the quarter and nine in the half.
The Fever turned those mistakes into 14 points before halftime.
Clark also began controlling the game as a passer. She finished the half with 14 points and 11 assists, while Mitchell had 12 points.
Las Vegas still found some answers. Stephanie Talbot scored six points in the quarter, and Wilson responded with baskets after Indiana briefly moved in front.
But the Fever kept attacking the paint. Indiana scored 30 points in the second quarter and turned an 11-point deficit into a 48-43 halftime lead.
The Aces shot 52 percent in the half, but Indiana held a 30-16 advantage in paint scoring.
Young keeps attacking
Young tried to pull Las Vegas back into the game after halftime.
She drew Clark’s third foul on the opening possession and made both free throws. Young then continued attacking as Indiana stretched the margin.
The Fever eventually pushed the lead to 58-47, completing a 22-point swing from Las Vegas’ largest advantage.
Parker-Tyus answered with a 3 out of an Aces timeout. Young later hit another from deep, but the rest of the offense went cold.
Wilson, Gray, Loyd and Talbot did not score in the third quarter. Las Vegas shot 4-of-17 in the period.
Young scored 12 of the Aces’ 17 points in the quarter and entered the fourth with 19.
Meanwhile, Indiana kept finding room inside. The Fever had 46 paint points through three quarters and carried a 72-60 lead into the fourth.
Comeback runs out
Las Vegas finally found some offensive rhythm in the fourth.
Young made three free throws, Wilson added two and Young followed with a 3. Loyd then hit another from deep after a steal, cutting Indiana’s lead to 76-71.
The Aces later pulled within 80-75, but Indiana answered again.
Boston scored inside, and Clark hit consecutive 3-pointers during the closing stretch. Her second, a deep step-back over Wilson, pushed the Fever ahead 90-79.
A tense sequence followed with 4:10 remaining. Sophie Cunningham was called for a foul on Wilson, and Wilson exchanged words with a fan near the baseline during the stoppage.
Wilson received a technical foul, but Mitchell missed the technical free throw. Wilson then made both of her free throws to cut the deficit to nine.
Talbot followed with a basket off a Loyd assist. Later, Clark picked up her sixth foul with 2:45 remaining.
Officials waved off the basket on the play, but Wilson made both free throws. She added two more at 2:11, pulling Las Vegas within 92-87.
That was as close as the Aces got.
Indiana closed the game at the line and finished with a 52 percent shooting night. The Fever also grabbed 11 offensive rebounds and held a 34-30 advantage on the glass.
Young finished with 31 points, five assists and four rebounds. Wilson had 22 points, nine rebounds and three steals, while Gray added 10 points and seven assists.
Las Vegas went 25-of-59 from the field and 9-of-28 from 3. The Aces made 30 free throws but could not overcome Indiana’s interior scoring and the offensive problems that began in the second quarter.
The series now returns to Las Vegas tied 1-1.
Game 3 is Thursday, Oct. 1, at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. PT.
Related stories
Welcome to Dice City Sports — where we provide premium, exclusive, up-to-date news and analysis surrounding the Las Vegas sports scene. Follow along on social media, and check back for new articles daily!
Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
