Nneka Ogwumike racked up 25 points and 12 rebounds, Skylar Diggins netted 24 points, and the Seattle Storm spoiled A’ja Wilson’s return from injury with a 90-83 comeback win over the host Las Vegas Aces on Friday.
Ogwumike made 11 of 16 from the floor and Gabby Williams joined her with a double-double (18 points, career-high 12 boards). Erica Wheeler scored 10 of her 17 points in the fourth quarter to ensure the Storm (8-5) completed a rally from 11 down in the third quarter.
Both teams hit 11 3-pointers in an entertaining game, but the Storm outrebounded the Aces 37-30 and took 10 more shots from the field.
Wilson tallied 20 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks after missing three games while in concussion protocol. The reigning MVP also committed seven turnovers and missed five of her 13 free-throw attempts.
Jackie Young led the Aces with 22 points, Jewell Loyd scored 15 against her old team and Aaliyah Nye had 13 off the bench. It wasn’t enough to stop Las Vegas (5-7) from dropping its fifth of its last six games.
The Aces grabbed their largest lead at 56-45 on Young’s 2-pointer with 6:36 to go in the third. But Ogwumike, who went 5-for-6 for 12 points in the period, and Diggins, who scored 10, helped Seattle claw back. Williams’ late 3 allowed the Storm to hit the locker room ahead 67-66.
The lead changed hands four times to start the fourth, but another triple from Williams put Seattle in front for good. Las Vegas got as close as 79-78 on Wilson’s layup, but Wheeler made a stepback 3-pointer, Diggins later added a 15-footer and Ogwumike made her 11th basket of the night for a seven-point cushion with 2:55 to play.
The Storm built an early 23-13 lead but the Aces ended the first quarter on an 8-0 run fueled by Nye. She made one 3-pointer with 1:27 to go and another triple to beat the buzzer and cut the margin to two.
The Aces tied it at 23 on another bucket by Nye, then gave up the game’s next six points before charging ahead. Wilson made two free throws followed by a three-point play, and Chelsea Gray made the go-ahead layup on a feed from Wilson with 5:49 left in the first half.
Young guided the final push of the half. She poured in nine points in the final 1:53, and her driving layup with two seconds to go made it 45-38 Las Vegas at halftime.
–Field Level Media
