Las Vegas guard Jackie Young scored 21 of her 32 points in the third quarter as the Aces romped away to a 91-78 victory over the Phoenix Mercury to take a 2-0 lead in the WNBA Finals on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Young’s third-quarter outburst was a record for points scored in a single quarter of a WNBA Finals game and the Aces, up by nine after a tight first half that featured five lead changes, out-scored the Mercury 30-24 in the period to seize control.<\/p>\n
“The rim was big,” Young said. “I didn’t realize it was that much, I was just trying to play the right way, be aggressive.<\/p>\n
“The biggest thing is we’re playing out of our defense. We’re getting stops, we’re able to play in transition.”<\/p>\n
Las Vegas’ four-time WNBA Most Valuable Player A’ja Wilson delivered a double-double of 28 points and 14 rebounds and Chelsea Gray added 10 rebounds and 10 assists.<\/p>\n
Kaleah Copper led the Mercury scoring with 23 points and Satou Sabally added 22 before exiting late in the fourth quarter with an apparent ankle injury.<\/p>\n
Forward Alyssa Thomas added 10 points and five assists — becoming the WNBA’s all-time postseason assists leader when she dropped her fifth dime to take her total to 391.<\/p>\n
But the Mercury will hope a shift to Phoenix on Wednesday will make a difference when they host game three of the championship series expanded to a best-of-seven format this year for the first time.<\/p>\n
The Aces, who won in 2022 and 2023, are trying to become the second team to win as many as three titles in four years.<\/p>\n
The Houston Comets won the league’s first three championships from 1997-2000.<\/p>\n
The Mercury are chasing a fourth crown after victories in 2007, 2009 and 2014.<\/p>\n
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