LAS VEGAS (AP) — A’ja Wilson scored 24 points in a battle with cold-shooting Caitlin Clark on Sunday to lead the Aces to an 89-81 victory over the Indiana Fever and stop a three-game Las Vegas skid.
Wilson, the reigning MVP, was one of five Aces in double figures. Jackie Young scored 19 points and Chelsea Gray finished with 18.
Aliyah Boston scored 26 points for the Fever, including 18 in the first half. Clark, last season’s Rookie of the Year, had 19 points and 11 assists but shot just 1 of 10 from 3-point range. She’s 1 for 17 from deep over her last two games.
Kelsey Mitchell added 20 points for Indiana.
Wilson and Clark struggled early, combining to shoot 2 of 15 midway through the second quarter.
The game was even at 69-69 in the fourth quarter when the Aces outscored Indiana 9-2 to go ahead for good.
The Aces (6-7), who won their second WNBA championship in a row just two years ago and expected to contend again this season, entered having lost five of six. Beating the Fever (6-7) could get Las Vegas heading in the right direction. Indiana is 2-3 over its last five.
Going back to last season, the Aces are 5-0 against the Fever. The teams will meet twice in Indianapolis later this season.
The game was down Las Vegas Boulevard at T-Mobile Arena to accommodate a larger crowd than the Aces’ usual home, Michelob Ultra Arena. Las Vegas usually has rowdy fans, but as expected, many spectators wore Clark shirts and jerseys.
Indiana’s DeWanna Bonner missed her fourth consecutive game for personal reasons. Coach Stephanie White returned to the bench after missing the Fever’s previous game at Golden State, also for personal reasons.
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