Jackie Young's Season-High 34 Points Not Enough to Overcome Sparks as Aces Fall 97-89

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WNBA Las Vegas Aces

Jackie Young's Season-High 34 Points Not Enough to Overcome Sparks as Aces Fall 97-89

June 12, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Las Vegas Aces News Release


LAS VEGAS - The Las Vegas Aces (4-4) fought back from a 20-point deficit, but fell short in a 97-89 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks (4-7) on Wednesday evening at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Jackie Young tied her career-high 34 points, while Chelsea Gray recorded a season-high 28 points.

A'ja Wilson left the game with a head injury with 1:17 remaining in the third quarter and did not return. She finished the game with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks and 2 steals in 27 minutes. Additional information on Wilson's injury will be provided after further evaluation on Thursday.

Rickea Jackson, 30 points, Dearica Hamby and Azurá Stevens, both with 19 points, led four Sparks in double figures.

KEY RUNS

First Quarter Highlights (Los Angeles 29, Las Vegas 17)

The Aces opened on a 9-2 run, but the Sparks hit 5 3-pointers in an 18-6 run for a 20-15 lead at 3:24. Gray tallied 7 points for the Aces, including two 3-pointers. Jackson, who was injured in the last Aces/Sparks matchup, accounted for 14 points on 4-of-5 from 3-point for Los Angeles, including 3 in a row to spark the game-opening run. Los Angeles shot 78.6% (11-14 FGs) from the field and 83.3% (5-6 3pt FGs) from beyond the arc, a season-high in a quarter this season. The Aces hit just 26.3% (5-19 FGs) from the field and made 3-of-10 from distance.

Second Quarter Highlights (Los Angeles 50, Las Vegas 41)

The Sparks continued to be red hot from the field in the second quarter, ballooning their lead to as many as 20 points, 39-19, at the 8:03 mark. However, a Young 14-3 run reeled the gap back to 42-33 with 4:26 to go before halftime. Stevens led the way for Los Angeles with 11 points in the second. Gray brought the Aces to within single digits, 50-41, after hitting her third 3-pointer with 7.7 seconds to go. The Aces made 37.5% from the field during the second period, while the Sparks shooting cooled to 45%. Young's 14 points led all scorers and Stevens scored 11 for LA.

Third Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 71, Los Angeles 65)

Wilson scored 8 points in a 12-7 spurt out of halftime to make it 57-53 at 4:19. A Gray 3-pointer at 3:11 brought the Aces to within 4 points again (60-56), but that was the smallest deficit the Aces reached the remainder of the quarter.The Aces remained within single digits until the final 30 seconds when a Jackson jumper left the score at 69-59, but a Gray 3-pointer and a Young and-1 sandwiched between a pair of LA free throws closed the quarter with the Aces trailing by 6. Young, Wilson and Gray scored 8 apiece, and Jackson also scored 8 for the Sparks.

Fourth Quarter Highlights (Los Angeles 97, Las Vegas 89)

The Aces never let up, but were unable to maintain a consistent run and could not overcome the hump. Young tallied 12 points in the fourth to lead all scorers and Jackson had 8 for the Sparks. The Aces shot 11.1% from 3-point range (1-9 3pt FGs) in the fourth. The Sparks continued their hot shooting night, going 8-of-11 from the field (.727), while the Aces shot 9-of-19 (.474) in the final quarter.

KEY STATS

The Aces were outscored 44-32 points in the paint, 10-7 on second chances, but outscored the Sparks on the fast break, 14-8.

The Aces were held to 37.5% (27-72 FGs) shooting from the floor and 25.7% (9-35 3pt FGs) from distance; while the Sparks hit on 56.9% (33-58 FGs) of their overall attempts and 45% (9-20 3pt FGs) from 3-point range.

The Aces were outrebounded 38-28 and dished out only 12 assists.

The Aces gave up 14 points on 9 turnovers and scored 19 from Los Angeles' 17 miscues.

Young and Wilson grabbed a team-high 8 rebounds apiece; Stevens led the Sparks with 11.

Tonight marked the 29th straight sellout at Michelob ULTRA with 10,417 in attendance.

GAME NOTES

Wilson extended her streak of consecutive double-digit scoring games to 59 - the longest active streak in the league, and ranked as the 7th longest in WNBA history. Arike Ogwunwobale is currently No. 6 with a 65-game streak (July 30, 2019 through Sept. 5, 2021). Wilson is the only player in league history with multiple double-digit scoring streaks of 50 or more games after putting together a streak of 53 such games from Aug. 18, 2019, through Aug, 17, 2021. Wilson's current streak dates to Aug. 8, 2023.

With 13 points against the Sparks, Wilson's career total stands at 4,949 points, and she is on the verge of becoming the 28th player in WNBA history to score 5,000 points. She also could reach the milestone in the fewest games played and could be the second youngest to achieve the feat. She has now played 234 games and is 28 years and 307 days old today. Breanna Stewart, who scored her 5,000th career point in 242 games, is currently the fastest to the mark and is one of only two players in league history to score her 5,000th point in fewer than 250 games. Lauren Jackson (28 years, 96 days) and Diana Taurasi (29 years, 34 days) hold the top two youngest spots. Skylar Diggins reached 5,000 points on June 11 against Minnesota.

Wilson has now compiled 2,164 rebounds for her career which ranks as the 26th most in WNBA history. Next up on the list is No. 25 Diana Taurasi with 2,210.

Loyd now has 5,609 points for her career and Wilson has 4,949, which rank No. 19 and No. 29 in WNBA history. Brittney Griner is No. 18 with 5,660 and Diggins is No. 28 with 5,000.

The Aces were without Megan Gustafson (lower left leg), recently signed Joyner Holmes (not yet with team) and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus (pregnancy).

NEXT UP: The Aces continue their three-game home stand on Friday, June 13, against the Dallas Wings (1-10) at Michelob ULTRA Arena. This will be the Aces first matchup of the season against the Wings, who recently lost 93-80 to Phoenix on June 11. The game, which tips at 7 p.m. PT, will air nationally on ION.

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