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Las Vegas Aces

Las Vegas Aces Move into Second-Place Tie With, 90-58, Win over New York

July 7, 2019 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Las Vegas Aces News Release


WHITE PLAINS, NY - Las Vegas recorded its third largest margin of victory on the road, Sunday afternoon, improving to 9-5 on the season with a 90-58 road victory over the New York Liberty (7-8). That win pulls the Aces into a tie for second place with the Connecticut Sun who are idle today.

KEY RUNS

Las Vegas scored 12 of the first 14 points of the game spanning 2:53, forcing 4 turnovers and making 5 of 6 shots during the run.

In the second quarter, the Aces expanded their lead to 18, 35-17, but New York countered by scoring 10 straight points from 6:55 to the 5:02 mark.

Las Vegas scored the next seven points, and took a 44-32 lead into the break.

The Aces expanded their advantage to as many as 32 during the second half.

KEY STATS

Las Vegas went 33 for 74 from the field (.446), while the New York Liberty shot just 22 for 74 (.297).

The Aces forced New York into committing 20 turnovers, turning them into 24 points, while Las Vegas committed just 10 turnovers, which the Liberty turned into 14 points.

Las Vegas made 17 of 23 shots from the free throw line while New York went 8 for 8.

The Aces outscored the Liberty 42-28 in points in the paint.

Las Vegas made 7 of 16 three-pointers (.438), while New York went 6 for 22 (.273)

GAME NOTES

NOTE: Las Vegas' July 5 game against Washington does not currently count in the team's statistics or streaks.

Liz Cambage scored in double figures for the 45th straight time this season, which is the longest active streak in the WNBA (season-high 21 points).

Liz Cambage grabbed 11 rebounds to record her third double-double of the year.

Kayla McBride scored in double figures for the 12th time this season, and 20 or more points for the fourth time (24 points).

A'ja Wilson scored in double figures for the 13th time this season and the 46th time in 47 career games (12 points).

This marks the eighth time this season that the Aces have held an opponent below 40 percent shooting or a game, and the second time that they held a team below 30 percent (.297).

Las Vegas improved to 18-1 over the last two season, including 6-0 this year, when outshooting and out-rebounding their opponent.

The Aces improved to 4-0 this season when making more three-pointers than their opponent (7 to 6).

Las Vegas has won three straight games, and five of its last six.

NEXT GAME

Las Vegas remains on the road, traveling to Indiana for a Wednesday, July 10 meeting with the Fever. Tip is slated for 9 am PT.

NEW YORK QUOTES

Coach Katie Smith on Han Xu:

"I thought she held her own on the defensive end. I thought she did a good job on Cambage...I've told you guys from the jump, the kid can score, looks to score and can shoot it. On the offensive end, she's very smooth, understands, and can put the ball in the hole so I think she did fine tonight. Rebounded okay and she had solid minutes."

Coach Katie on Vegas' defense:

"The last two games, they bullied us. We didn't handle it. We can handle that pressure. We can find things we can dictate, but they made us turn it over, they made us cough it up, and we weren't strong enough with the basketball."

Coach Katie on team effort:

"I just wasn't pleased with the effort we had on both ends. Yes, we want to win games, but the way you win and lose is also something and I wasn't really pleased today with overall effort from top to bottom."

Coach Katie on team defense:

"When we put out the effort on the defensive end, when we're bringing it, that's when we are successful. But that can't waver, that's something that we've got to do every single night. We don't score as well as a lot of other people, so we have to be locked in on the defensive end to give ourselves a chance to be in ball games and that's our lot right now, that's who we are."

Coach Katie on next game:

"We'll get after our defense, obviously execution, handling pressure as well, but yeah we're going to get after it on the defensive end, again that's something we have to hang our hat on and obviously execution on offense and all the little things setting screens, using screens, handling pressure. Basic stuff that at the end of the day, wins and loses ball games."

Tina Charles on big factors in today's loss:

"Cambage, she asserted herself early, McBride as well. We allowed her to get whatever she wanted, and she went on a roll after that. Those were the two main keys for us, and our effort just wasn't there as it was in those three games that we won. We didn't match our effort like we did on the road. The way the starting five began that game defensively, offensively and mentally, we were just out of it."

Kia Nurse on team's growth:

"We've learned that everyone has a role, and everybody can step up if something happens to one of our players or someone gets sick. We know that we can come out and fight, that way we will give ourselves a winning chance. Moving forward, every game is a new game, and you try to win every game."

LAS VEGAS QUOTES

Coach Bill Laimbeer opening statement on the game:

"We talked about defensive intensity, something we have been lacking the last three games. We had good energy from Liz Cambage, and Kayla McBride had a solid game."

Coach Bill on Liz Cambage and A'ja Wilson:

"They are learning each other very well. They both are starting to understand who they are."

Coach Bill on the Las Vegas Aces:

"Different nights, different people will step up. We have a lot of quality players and tonight was defensive, and that was the game plan."

A'ja Wilson opening statement:

"When you have the opportunity to play with a big that is as skillful as Liz Cambage, you find different ways to give her the basketball, and that's what makes all of our post players so well. We balance off of each other."

Wilson on team's turnaround from last season:

"This is definitely the fastest process I have been a part of. We went from not making it to the playoffs, to people saying we are going to win it all. I think we are doing a great job not letting it get to us, because we have not won anything. We know we have to work ten times harder because we have that target on our backs and I think it fuels our fire to keep going."

Wilson on team effort:

"We have a starting five where anyone can score a basket at any time. You need a healthy balance in a team, and that's what we have so I don't feel any pressure at all. I feel that we are coming together at a right time to continue on."

Kayla McBride on team performance:

"We wanted to come out and set the tone on defense first, and let our offense take over. I thought we all did a great job across the board from the bench to the starters. We came in with the mindset that we are going to get stops on defense and win this game."

McBride on Liberty cutting into lead:

"We knew in their last few games they have been coming back from behind. If they went on a run, we knew how to respond and continue our defensive effort."

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