Aces Defend Home Court in 91-78 Game 2 Victory over Mercury, Improve to 2-0 in WNBA Finals
WNBA Las Vegas Aces

Aces Defend Home Court in 91-78 Game 2 Victory over Mercury, Improve to 2-0 in WNBA Finals

Published on October 5, 2025 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Las Vegas Aces News Release


LAS VEGAS - Jackie Young and A'ja Wilson combined for 60 points to lead the Las Vegas Aces (2-0) to a 91-78 victory over the Phoenix Mercury (0-2) for a 2-0 edge in the WNBA Finals best-of-seven series on Sunday afternoon in Michelob ULTRA Arena. Young led with 32 points, which tied her playoff career high previously set against Indiana in Game 5 of the Semifinals; Wilson contributed 28 points and 14 rebounds for her 25th playoff double-double; Chelsea Gray added 10 points and a game-high 10 assists; and Jewell Loyd celebrated her 32nd birthday by chipping in 9 points, 7 caroms, 3 steals and 2 blocked shots.

Kahleah Copper and Satou Sabally scored 23 and 22, respectively, for Phoenix.

TEAM 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final

Aces 24 22 30 15 91

Mercury 27 10 24 17 78

First Quarter Highlights (Phoenix 27, Las Vegas 24)

Phoenix went up by 8, 16-8, at 5:52 before a 10-0 run by the Aces moved Las Vegas ahead 18-16 at 3:17. From there, neither team held more than a 3-point advantage. The Aces shot 52.6% from the field and 3 of 5 from 3-point; Phoenix hit 45.5% of its field goal attempts and 3 of 8 from distance. Copper led all scorers with 11; Gray, Wilson and Young had 7 apiece for the Aces.

Second Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 46, Phoenix 37)

The Mercury scored 6 of their 10 points in the first 3 minutes, 8 seconds of the second frame for a 33-27 advantage. However, the Aces countered with an 11-0 run over the next 2:22 for a 38-33 lead. After a 4-2 spurt from Phoenix, the Aces closed the half with 6 straight points. The Las Vegas defense held Phoenix to 27.8% (5-18 FGs) from the field and 0 of 7 from distance, while making 40.9% of its attempts overall but just 1 of 6 from 3. Wilson scored 13 points and no Mercury player had more than 4.

Third Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 76, Phoenix 61)

The teams traded baskets through the opening minutes until Phoenix got back-to-back buckets to make it 55-47 at 6:15, prompting Becky Hammon to call a timeout. The Aces responded by scoring the first 4 points in a 10-4 run that expanded their lead to 65-51 at 2:51. Both teams shot at least 60%, with the Aces making 66.7% (12-18 FGs) and 2 of 4 from deep and the Merc hitting 60% (9-15 FGs), but they missed all 3 of their 3-point attempts. Sabally led Phoenix with 8 points and Young scored a franchise playoff quarter record 21 points.

Fourth Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 91, Phoenix 78)

The Aces expanded their lead to 22, 83-61, over the first 76 seconds of the final frame. Phoenix cut it down to 12 points, 90-78, at 2:46 but time ran out on any comeback hopes. The Aces made 37.5% from the floor and 2 of 8 from 3-point, while the Mercury hit 31.2% of their field goal attempts and 2 of 10 from distance. Sabally scored a high of 10 for the visitors and Dana Evans had 5 for the Aces.

KEY STATS

The Aces finished shooting 49.3% (37-75 FGs) from the field and 34.8% 98-23 3pt FGs) from distance; the Mercury made 40.8% (29-71 FGs) overall and were held to 17.9% (5-28 3pt FGs) of their 3-point attempts.

The Aces hit 9 of 13 (.692) from the charity stripe, where the Mercury were 15 of 18 (.833).

The Aces outrebounded the Mercury 43-34.

The Aces gave up 18 points on 13 turnovers and scored 14 off the Mercury's 11 miscues.

Las Vegas had 6 blocks, Phoenix blocked 1.

Phoenix edged Las Vegas 42-40 points in the paint, and 17-13 on the fast break; the Aces outscored the Mercury 12-5 on second chance points.

There were 5 lead changes, 4 knotted scores and the Aces took the lead for good on a Gray field goal at 5:33 in the second quarter (34-33).

The Aces bench outscored the Mercury reserves 16-8.

GAME NOTES

Gray dished out 4 or more assists in each of her last 24 games (regular season and playoffs), the W's third-longest active streak.

Wilson has now scored in double figures, including 13 30-point games, each of the past 34 games, including playoffs, which is the league's longest active streak for double-digit scoring.

Wilson finished with zero blocked shots, ending her streak of at least 2 blocks a game over 15 straight games (regular season and playoffs), which was the longest active streak and the 5th longest ever recorded in WNBA history.

Gray notched her second Finals points/assists double-double.

Young has made each of her last 28 free throw attempts, which dates to Sept. 23. It is the longest streak for a single playoff run in franchise history and 5 away from setting the all-time WNBA playoff record (single playoff year), which currently is 32.

The Aces improved their postseason record to 33-20 (.622) and 8-5 (.615) in Finals games; the franchise playoff record is now an even 43-43 and the Finals record, which includes San Antonio's 2008 Finals appearance, to 8-8.

Today's game marked the 49th consecutive sellout for the Aces at Michelob ULTRA Arena.

Hammon improved her playoff record to 26-9, the 6th-most postseason victories of any team in WNBA history. Her 74.3 winning percentage tops the list for those who have coached 10 or more playoff games.

WNBA Playoff Record Book

Gray entered the game needed just 1 more rebound to reach 200 career postseason rebounds and now has 207. She is just the 3rd player in league history to record at least 800 points, 300 assists and 200 rebounds in postseason play.

Wilson now has 25 postseason double-doubles, which ranks No. 4 on the W's all-time list. Tamika Catchings and Candace Parker are tied at No. 2 with 27 apiece and Alyssa Thomas leads with 29.

Loyd entered the game just 1 point shy from her 500th career postseason point and with 9, she became the 46th player in W history to hit that milestone.

With 2 made free throws tonight, Wilson (250) drew even with Lindsay Whalen (250) for the No. 4 spot on the league's all-time playoff free throws made list.

Wilson needed 1 rebound tonight to passParker (118) and move into sole possession of the No. 7 spot on the Finals rebounds list. She grabbed 14, passed Taj McWilliams-Franklin (124) and her 132 rebounds list at No. 6 behind No. 5 Breanna Stewart's 144.

Gray needed 2 assists to pass Courtney Vandersloot (100) for the No. 2 spot on the W's all-time Finals assists list and now has 109. Whalen leads the league with 129 assists.

Gray broke a tie with Jonquel Jones and Sylvia Fowles, who each played in 18 Finals games, and now sits alone in the No. 6 spot. She needs 2 more to move ahead of Natasha Howard (20) and into sole possession of No. 5.

UP NEXT: The Mojave-Sonoran Desert Series shifts to Phoenix, where the teams will next clash in Game 3 on Wednesday, Oct. 8. Game 4 will also be played in Phoenix and is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 10. Both games tip at 5 p.m. on ESPN.

Check out the Las Vegas Aces Statistics

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Women's National Basketball Association Stories from October 5, 2025


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