Young scores 25, Loyd hits 3 with 1.9 seconds left as Aces beat Mystics 75-72

By Canadian Press on May 23, 2025.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jackie Young scored 25 points, Jewell Loyd hit a corner 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left, and the Las Vegas Aces scored the final nine points to beat the Washington Mystics 75-72 on Friday night.

Chelsea Gray added 17 points and A’ja Wilson finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks for Las Vegas (2-1). Wilson moved past Elizabeth Williams into 10th in WNBA history with 447 career blocked shots.

Young stole a pass and then made a layup before the Aces forced a shot-clock violation with 15.9 seconds remaining. Wilson hit Young for a wide-open layup to tie it 72-all with 11.1 seconds to go, Kiah Stokes blocked a shot and grabbed the rebound and Wilson fed Loyd for the go-ahead 3-pointer.

Loyd finished with nine points on 2-for-9 shooting, including 2 for 7 from 3-point range.

Sonia Citron converted a three-point play to give Washington a nine-point lead with 3:49 to play. Jackie Young answered with two free throws and then made a jumper before Dana Evans hit a 3-pointer that made it a two-point game with 2:02 remaining.

Citron hit a 3 just 19 seconds later and Jade Melbourne made 1 of 2 from the free-throw line with 1:15 to go gave the Mystics a 72-66 lead.

Citron hit four 3-pointers and scored 19 points to lead the Mystics (2-2). Kiki Iriafen had 17 points and 13 rebounds.

Iraiafen, the No. 4 pick in last month’s WNBA draft, has a double-double in three consecutive games, the first rookie to accomplish the feat in franchise history.

Iriafen made a layup with a little more than a minute remaining in the first quarter that made it 16-14 and the Mystics led until Loyd’s winner.

Up next

Mystics visit Phoenix on Sunday to wrap up a four-game trip, and Las Vegas plays at Seattle.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

The Associated Press