SEATTLE — Jackie Young had 21 points and 10 rebounds, A’ja Wilson added 18 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three blocks, and the Las Vegas Aces held off the defending champion Seattle Storm 96-80 on Tuesday night to avenge a season-opening loss.
Las Vegas led by as many as 21 points in the first half before Seattle opened the second half on a 13-6 run, with nine points from Jewell Loyd, to get within 51-44. Seattle newcomer Katie Lou Samuelson beat the third-quarter buzzer with a shot near midcourt to pull the Storm to 66-62.
But the Aces started strong in the fourth as Liz Cambage converted a three-point play to cap an 8-0 run, extending the lead to 74-62.
Cambage finished with 18 points and eight rebounds, and Chelsea Gray had 11 points and seven assists for Las Vegas (1-1). Kelsey Plum scored 10 points off the bench.
Las Vegas closed the first quarter on a 15-0 run for a 31-14 lead after Seattle went scoreless for four-plus minutes. The Aces led 45-31 at the break behind 10 points apiece from Wilson and Young. Seattle was just 14 of 39 from the field (36.8%),th eight turnovers.
Breanna Stewart had 26 points and 11 rebounds for Seattle (1-1). Loyd finished with 17 points and Ezi Magbegor had 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Loyd and Stewart combined to score 24 points in the third quarter, while Las Vegas was held to 21 points. The Aces turned it over just five times in the first half, but had four in four minutes to start the third.
Last Saturday, Stewart had 28 points and 13 rebounds and Loyd added 22 points as the Storm beat the Aces 97-83 in a repeat of the WNBA finals.
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