LAS VEGAS (KTNV) —
After the game
For the third time in four years, the Las Vegas Aces are going to the WNBA Finals after beating the Indiana Fever 107-98 on Tuesday night at Michelob ULTRA Arena in an overtime thriller. A’ja Wilson recorded 35 points, Jackie Young had 32 points, and Chelsea Gray put up 17 while the team also recorded 10 blocks and 9 steals. The Aces will host the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1 of the Finals on Friday.
VIDEO: Alex Eschelman reports the latest on Aces heading to the WNBA Finals
Before the game
The Las Vegas Aces' season is coming down to a winner-take-all Game 5 against the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night at Michelob Ultra Arena.
After winning Games 2 and 3 to take a semifinal series lead, the Aces dropped Game 4 on the road on Sunday 90-83 as the Fever forced an elimination game.
The winner between the Aces and Fever on Tuesday punches their ticket to the WNBA Finals, where they'll face Phoenix after the Mercury eliminated the Minnesota Lynx in four games.
WATCH | Nick Walters has your game preview:
While WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson scored a game-high 31 points, the Aces know they'll have to clean up their defense after allowing 90 points on Sunday night.
"We just gotta play their better defense," Aces star center Wilson said after Game 4. "Make (Fever center Aaliya Boston's) looks a little difficult, and kind of go from there."
"Just our defense," Aces head coach Becky Hammon said regarding what led to Sunday's road loss. "We're better when we play out of our defense. We didn't, we didn't get a lot of stops."
"Defensively, we gotta be a lot better as guards in our pickup points and helping rebound," guard Chelsea Gray said. "I gotta be better. I can't have so many turnovers and let them go out in transition."
The Aces will try to bounce back from Sunday's loss and continue their run at a third world title in four years.
Tipoff in Vegas is set for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
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