LAS VEGAS (AP) — A'ja Wilson had 21 points and 15 rebounds in just 25 minutes as the Las Vegas Aces routed the Phoenix Mercury 106-58 on Saturday night in one of the worst blowouts in WNBA history.
Las Vegas led by 54 points in the fourth quarter before matching the third-largest win in league history. The record is 59 points by Minnesota against Indiana in 2017, when the Lynx went on a 37-0 run. In this one the Aces never had a run longer than nine points.
Wilson, the four-time MVP, had a double-double by halftime and Justine Pissott finished with 19 points in her first WNBA game. Signed off the Indiana development roster on Friday, the second-round draft out of Vanderbilt shot 7 for 8 with five 3-pointers while playing the whole fourth quarter.
Chelesa Gray and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus both added 15 points for the Aces (17-6), who had 30 assists, 11 by Gray. NaLyssa Smith added 14 points.
Monique Akoa Makani led Phoenix (8-16) with 13 points and Lexi Held had 11. DeWanna Bonner, who became the third player in league history to surpass 8,000 points, was held to two. The Mercury beat the Aces by 30 in the season opener.
The Aces lost 111-58 to Minnesota last year in the second-biggest margin in league history. Las Vegas then won the next 16 games to close the regular season and went on to win its third WNBA title in four seasons.
Las Vegas scored the first nine points of the game and led 29-9 after the first quarter. Wilson had nine points, the Aces hit 5 3-pointers and the Mercury were 3-of-17 shooting with five turnovers.
The onslaught continued in the second quarter, with the Aces leading by as many as 37 points before taking a 57-22 advantage into the break. The largest lead in the third quarter was 45 and the Aces led 79-36 entering the fourth quarter.
Up next
Mercury: At Minnesota on Tuesday.
Aces: Host Indiana on Sunday,
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