A'ja Wilson's buzzer beater lifts Aces past Chicago Sky

The Chicago Sky left too much time on the clock for A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces.

Sky guard Chennedy Carter hit a 3-pointer to tie the game today with 1.1 seconds remaining in erasing what was a 13-point Las Vegas Aces lead in the fourth quarter. But Wilson quickly muted the celebrations inside Wintrust Arena.

The Aces star center hit a buzzer-beating layup to give Las Vegas a 77-75 win over Chicago, capping off a monster performance from Wilson, who finished with 20 points and 18 rebounds. Wilson credits the buzzer beating shot to a screen set by Kelsey Plum on Sky forward Angel Reese, which allowed Wilson to get wide open for the game winner.

Plum, who is 5-foot-8-inches and known more for her shooting abilities, successfully set the screen against a player who is the top rebounder in the WNBA and five inches taller than Plum.

"She's (Plum) started to develop and evolve her game year after year of year," Wilson said. "Whether that's screening, passing or rim reads, that's the sign of a great professional. Playing alongside of her is amazing because she never stops moving, so it makes you move."

Wilson said that when you set a good screen, you're the one open, meaning that Plum had given her opportunity for Wilson to hit the game winner.

After hitting the buzzer beating shot, Wilson was stone cold despite her teammates celebrating around her. Despite her stat line, she said she was "frustrated all game" with her performance. She shot 28% from the field and was minus nine from the floor. When she clinched the game for the Aces, she said she was just doing her job.

"This is what we're supposed to do. This is the game. This is the entertainment. This is what you guys came to see," Wilson said on how she felt in the moment. "I was so glad that we were able to deliver and be on the winning side, but at the same time, this game showed our hunger and our resiliency that we need to continue to push throughout these games."

It was a “grind-it-out” victory for the Aces as they shot just 38% (31-of-81) from the field and 25% (6-of-24) from 3-point range. Aces coach Becky Hammon said the biggest issue in the last few games has been getting stops. However, against the Sky, Hammon said it was all about what the Aces were "willing to live with."

"They (Chicago) hit some shots that we're kind of willing to live with," Hammon said. "We're willing to live with Chennedy Carter shooting threes. It's better than her getting in the paint, finishing and drawing contact and doing what she does. You always want to make people try to beat you with their second and third moves, not their first moves."

Alongside the game tying three in the final seconds of the game, Carter shot 3-of-4 from 3-point range and led the Sky in points with 25. Reese finished with her 22nd double-double of the season, recording 11 points and 22 rebounds. Her performance against the Aces ties her with Tina Charles for the most double-doubles by a rookie.

However, the Aces got a boost from Megan Gustafson, who scored 13 points in her first start of the season. Plum had 18 points and Chelsea Gray broke double scoring figures for the first time in five games, finishing with 11 points. Gustafson has also begun to expand her own game from outside the arc, shooting 3-of-5 from 3-point range against the Sky.

Gustafson is the latest player Hammon has rotated into the stating forward spot. Alysha Clark started against the Minnesota Lynx on Aug. 23 and Kiah Stokes started against the Lynx on Aug. 21.

"I think for the Chicago Sky game, Meg (Gustafson) was just the better matchup," Wilson said. "Kiah (Stokes) still came in and was Kiah. That's what I love the most about Kiah is that she doesn't get caught up in 'oh my gosh why am I coming off the bench?' and I think that speaks volumes...We have a locker room that is willing to do whatever needs to be done in order for us to get the win."

The Aces improved to 18-11 on the year, snapping a two-game losing streak. They face the Dallas Wings on the road at 5 p.m. Tuesday before returning home on Friday to host the Atlanta Dream.