Photo credit: Shawn McCullough (Sports Radio Service)
By Shawn McCullough
The Las Vegas Aces have a list of number one draft picks and now have two time WNBA All-Star Center Liz Cambage, who they acquired in a trade with Dallas last week.
The first preseason game allowed Head Coach Bill Laimbeer to assess his team in a 79-75 loss to the Minnesota Lynx at Cox Pavilion on the campus of UNLV.
“We only had one preseason game, that was this one, to see where we are at and what we need to work on,” said Laimbeer. ”We need to be able to score and make shots in big times. At the end of the day, we need to learn how to win, because this franchise up to this point, doesn’t know how to win.”
Cambage arrived in Las Vegas just prior to tipoff and didn’t play, but Kayla McBride led the Aces with 18 points, while A’ja Wilson added 16 points and six rebounds.
“We have a lot of talent, a lot of number one picks,” said McBride. “I am just really excited to see when it all comes together because it is going to be dangerous. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
2019 first overall draft pick Jackie Young made her Aces debut scoring 16 points while going 7-10 from the field.
“We know what she can do,” said Laimbeer of Jackie Young. “It’s a matter of can she do it on the big stage and I think today was a good learning experience for her and our team to understand her capabilities.”
The Aces will start the regular season this coming Sunday at 5:00 pm against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com
Game Notes:
- Liz Cambage arrived in Las Vegas prior to tipoff and arrived courtside during pregame warmups and was greeted with hugs from both the Aces coaching staff and players.
- The Aces led at halftime 40-32.
- The Lynx made 10 three point shots to Vegas’ four.
- The Aces turned the ball over 14 times.
Game Starters:
F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 21 Kayla McBride
C – 8 Carolyn Swords
G – 0 Jackie Young
G – 10 Kelsey Plum
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