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Las Vegas Aces

Aces Pull Even with Dallas with 85-72 Victory over New York

August 16, 2018 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Las Vegas Aces News Release


LAS. VEGAS, NV - The Las Vegas Aces continue to control their own destiny in the race for the final WNBA playoff berth thanks to a 85-72 victory over the New York Liberty Wednesday.

That win drew Las Vegas even with Dallas at 14-18. If the Aces win their next two games, including a Friday, August 17 road trip to Dallas, they will make the postseason in their first season since moving to Las Vegas.

The Wings still own the tiebreaker over the Aces, however, and Dallas' magic number remains at two- any combination of two Wings' victories and Aces losses gives Dallas the final spot.

W-L Pct GB

8 Dallas 14-18 .438 10.0

9 Las Vegas 14-18 .438 10.0

The Aces and Wings each have two games remaining on their regular season schedules, including a Friday, August 17 meeting between the two teams in Dallas.

Las Vegas Aces Dallas Wings

Date Opponent W-L Date Opponent W-L

August 17 at Dallas 14-18 August 17 vs. Las Vegas 14-18

August 19 vs. Atlanta 22-10 August 19 at Seattle 24-8

KEY RUNS

Las Vegas outscored the Liberty 31-10 in the opening quarter. New York crawled back into the game, cutting the Aces' lead to eight in the fourth quarter before the Aces sewed things up.

KEY STATS

Las Vegas shot 52.2 percent from the field compared to 43.1 percent for New York.

New York went 8 for 23 from three-point range, while Las Vegas went 3 for 16.

The Aces committed just 10 turnovers compared to 15 for the Liberty

Kayla McBride scored 15 points in the fourth quarter after not scoring any in the first three quarters

GAME NOTES

A'ja Wilson (19 points) scored in double figures for the 31st straight time to start her WNBA career.

Kayla McBride (15 points) scored in double figures for the 27th time this season.

Kelsey Plum (11 points) scored in double figures for the 13th time this season.

Tamera Young (11 points) scored in double figures for the 17th time this season.

Carolyn Swords (10 points) scored in double figures for the third time this season.

The Liberty were without Tina Charles, Epiphanny Prince, Shavonte Zellous and Amanda Zahui B, all of whom were out with injuries.

Las Vegas' 31 points in the first quarter ties their most prolific first quarter of the season (31 at Atlanta on August 7).

Las Vegas Aces Postgame Quotes

vs. New York, August 15, 2018

Head Coach Bill Laimbeer

Obviously, New York was shorthanded and not playing with Tina Charles is one thing, but I give New York credit. They played very hard throughout the game, they could have easily given up in that first half, but they didn't, and they competed. I didn't give people the minutes I wanted to but at the same time, we needed the win. Players know that they have to play intense for 40 minutes or you let teams back in the game and that's what happened today, but at the same time, a win is a win and on to the next game which we all know the importance of, so I think we're excited and we put ourselves in the position to have a one game shootout. It's a big game for us so I guess we have to go win.

On being in this position to fight for a playoff spot

That's a hard question to answer because I didn't know what I had at the start of the season. I had never coached most of these players before. We had a rookie in A'ja Wilson and I knew what she was capable of but didn't know what she was going to be able to do in her first year, so I really didn't have any expectations except I told them at the start of the season that at the end of the season they wanted to be the team that no one wanted to play then the record was going to be whatever it was going to be. But I think we have accomplished that goal that I think that teams don't want to play us because we have the capability of scoring a lot of points and move up and down the floor. We're at the point now that we have a chance.

On Kayla McBride's breakout 4thquarter

I just looked at her on the bench and said, 'are you going to play tonight' and she said yes, she's ready and a big shot went in for her. The first one that went in was important for her since she wasn't engaged for three quarters and sometimes you get left out. When you're not playing well in the first half and other players are scoring, she wasn't needed and sometimes you get lost and get out of rhythm and I think that's what happened to her tonight. But when she got back in rhythm and got focused, she made all the big shots down the stretch.

One last thought...

I thought the crowd tonight was phenomenal, it was packed in there and I think we all had a lot of fun and our players know that our crowd was behind us. It's fun walking around town and at the grocery store running into people saying, 'let's get one more win' and 'you're right there.' I think we've really engaged the town and it's a lot of fun.

KAYLA MCBRIDE

On hot 4thquarter after slow start

You know I mean it happens I felt like a little sluggish and a little tired not gunna lie to you. But I think sometimes when you have that many days in between games you kind of have to find your rhythm again. Thankfully coach put me back in in the 4thquarter and I was just trying to be aggressive. I felt like I had a lot of energy because I didnt really exert a that much in the first 3 quarters. I just wanted to put the game away for us. I knew it was a big game against Dallas so I just wanted to continue to be aggressive and get some momentum going into the Dallas game.

On Kayla McBrides Play in the 4thquarter

Coach asked me at the end of the third quarter if I was ready to play and go back into the game and actually do something. And I was just like yeah. I think it was more mental for me. Like I said it's been a long season and I just try to produce as best and be the player my teammates need me to be. In the 4thquarter I was just trying to be aggressive.

On why the team is doing so well right now.

We just have a lot of energy. I think a lot of other teams are kind of falling down They're a little bit older than us, were young. I think we've had a lot of home games too. so were feeding off the energy of our crowd and were finally figuring out how to play together and how to string together stops. I think that's the biggest thing. Everyone knows we like to be in transition but when were good on the defensive end, were really, really good and I don't think too many teams want to play us right now.

On the opposite trends of Aces and Dallas right now

We want to take it one game at a time. Obviously you know with Dallas were tied for 8 place with them right now so it's a win or go home game, like a single elimination game and we know that. Were going to prepare as best we can, rest up, go to Dallas, and go to work.

On being a scrappy team

Liken I said were young so when we get in these holes down 6 points or 7 points and coach just tells us keep playing keep playing keep playing. So for us I feel like that's when our toughness kicks in. I think that's part of our identity. That toughness and being able to be aggressive on both ends of the floor. Like with A'jas or Plum, everybody kind of has this chip on their shoulder and we try to feed off of that and I think that's what has pushed us over the edge because were trying to prove something. We're not san Antonio, were not the losing team we've been the last couple years and were trying to prove that to the whole league.

A'JA WILSON

On team's hot start to the game

Yeah, our biggest thing was just keeping the energy. We know that this is a tough situation right now because were still in control of our own destiny. We diddnt want to change up anything, but we knew we just had to come out with a lot of energy and show why we deserve to be in the playoffs and were not going to let up and were just going to be in our system

On kaylas play

Yeah I think that's the strength of our team. We have depth. I think we have the best bench in the league and for them to come out and produce the way they produced on these kind of nights. I think Kayla really stepped up when we needed her the most and that's the show of a good player. That's the show of a great player when they can come out of that slump and still produce in a way like they never fell off. And also when our bench can come in and there's no drop off I think that's good for us and that's what's going to keep us going in the long run it might not be this year, next year, or the year after that but our depth is definitely going to be something special with this team.

On coach's motivation to close out game after blowing lead

He said nothings easy in this league, nothing is going to be handed to you. You can't let up and we can't breathe, especially with a team like Liberty. They're in this league for a reason everyone's great players, best at their position. So we really can't let up in those situations. I think that's something close to what [coach] said.

New York Liberty quotes

Coach Katie Smith -

On the Aces hot start and their ability to hold off comeback effort...

"Well we spotted them 20. With limited players, it was going to be tough. If we don't do that, maybe it's a ballgame, but I thought we started to play harder on both ends of the floor. We started attacking on the offensive end and flying around a little bit on the defensive end. We were a little undersized tonight but once we got rolling and the effort was there, then we made it a ballgame."

On adjustments in defending A'ja Wilson after her first-half performance...

"We just started to congest a little bit more, understanding who you can help off of, who can get in there and dig, make life a little harder for her. I thought we were smarter on the defensive in with congesting on her."

On added intensity from the Aces in playoff hunt...

"They started the game sharp, knocking down shots all over the place, really taking what we gave them. I can't say we put up a great fight in the first quarter, but I thought they came out sharp and firing on all cylinders. I thought they competed. I know Bill (Laimbeer) subbed a good bit once they got up, so that messes with a little bit of your momentum and a little bit of your rhythm. I'm happy the way we competed in the three quarters after the first. A little disappointed, usually we have a part of the game where we somewhat don't show up a little bit and aren't locked in. That's usually the ballgame."

On the effort from the team despite not having the ideal season...

"I appreciate all of them. I appreciate Riss (Marissa Coleman), she's been banged up with an ankle. The way they played hard, again we just came out a little flat and that was pretty much the ballgame. We just dug ourselves a hole and had limited resources. Over this last stretch, once we got eliminated from the playoffs, their effort has been at a high level and I appreciate that because it's not easy for them, personally, to take it upon themselves to come out every night and give it their best shot."

Voice #1 - Kia Nurse

On her participation with Team Canada and if there are expectations to medal...

"Yeah, absolutely. I think for a while with the past performances, it's expected of ourselves and we understand that and that's what we want to do each and every time we go out there. Just in the sense that we have so much talent coming up and our pool is bigger than it's ever been in terms of the players we're able to choose from and I think that's something that is really exciting for our country as well."

On the intensity out of the gates from the Aces with their push for a playoff spot

"Obviously, I think whenever a team comes into a game understanding the situation that they're in, that's something that's probably going to be on their mind. Understanding when you're at home, you always have an extra push added and they came out guns-a-blazing."

Voice #2 - Bria Hartley

On making it competitive in the end after a tough start...

"I think this team has a lot of fight. We are battling a lot of injuries, everybody is just fighting through. We didn't start the way we wanted to, but we always fight back. We always tell each other to keep going and we were able to step up. Hopefully, we can start to finish the game and turn it around these last two games."

On goals for the end of the season...

"I think every game we go into, we approach it trying to get a win. I know we've been on a rough streak right now and we're fighting really hard, so that we can come out and at least finish the season on a high note with two good wins with the last games we have left."

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