Jackie Young catches fire as Aces crush Mercury to take 2-0 Finals lead originally appeared on The Sporting News
The Las Vegas Aces are now two wins away from another WNBA title, and Jackie Young made sure of it. The star guard erupted for 21 points in the third quarter, the most ever in a WNBA Finals quarter, sending Las Vegas to a 91-78 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday night.
Advertisement
With the win, the Aces grabbed a 2-0 lead in the series and will head to Phoenix looking to close things out. Game 3 is set for Wednesday, and the Aces are chasing their third championship in four seasons under coach Becky Hammon.
Young finished with 32 points, matching her playoff career high. She came just one point shy of the all-time postseason single-quarter record, which was last set by her teammate Jewell Loyd back in 2021.
A’ja Wilson added 28 points and 14 rebounds, dominating the paint early with 20 points in the first half. Chelsea Gray chipped in 10 points and 10 assists, keeping the Aces’ offense humming even as the Mercury’s defense broke down.
For Phoenix, Kahleah Copper poured in 23 points while Satou Sabally scored 22. Alyssa Thomas added 10 points but spent most of the game battling foul trouble.
Advertisement
MORE: A’ja Wilson’s text sparked a turnaround; now the Aces are chasing another WNBA title
Phoenix opened strong, racing to a 7-0 start and putting up 27 points in the first quarter. But the Aces clamped down from there, holding the Mercury to just 24 total points over the second and third quarters combined. By the time the fourth quarter started, Las Vegas led 76-51 and never looked back.
Becky Hammon’s Game 2 dominance in Las Vegas continued; she’s now 9-0 in that spot, with her teams winning those games by an average of more than 17 points.
The Mercury now face an uphill climb, needing to win four of the next five games to keep their championship hopes alive. The Aces, meanwhile, are on the brink of adding another trophy to what’s become a modern WNBA dynasty.
Advertisement
