SEATTLE (AP) — Jackie Young sent the game in overtime with a buzzer-beating basket and then Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum hit big shots in the extra session to help the Las Vegas Aces beat the Seattle Storm 110-98 on Sunday, moving within a victory of advancing to the WNBA Finals.
Las Vegas took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five WNBA playoff semifinal series after some wild final moments of regulation and a dominant performance in OT.
Gray had been quiet in the fourth quarter but scored eight of her 29 points in overtime including a pair of 3s that silenced Storm fans that had been roaring only a few minutes earlier when it appeared Seattle was on the cusp of winning the pivotal game.
Seattle led 92-90 with 0.8 seconds left in regulation after Sue Bird hit a corner 3. It was a storybook moment to be another highlight in Bird’s final season before retiring.
But on the ensuing inbound play, Young got free on a switch and scored in the lane ahead of the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
Las Vegas outscored Seattle 18-6 in overtime.
SKY 76, SUN 72
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Candace Parker had 16 points and 11 rebounds, Kahleah Copper added 15 points and the Sky beat the Sun.
The defending champion Sky lead the best-of-five series 2-1 and can advance to the finals with a win Tuesday night.
Copper’s 3-pointer with 6:14 left gave Chicago a 66-64 lead. Neither team scored for nearly the next 4 minutes until Emma Meesseman hit a jumper in the corner to extend the lead to four with 2:26 left.
Courtney Williams ended a 4:45 scoring drought that saw the Sun miss eight shots with a jumper with 1:45 left to make it 68-66. Copper then made two free throws and Meesseman added a layup to make it 72-66 with under a minute left.
After a missed layup by Chicago, DeWanna Bonner was fouled with 22 seconds left and made both free throws to get the Sky within 72-70.
Parker restored a four-point lead by making two free throws with 15.2 seconds left. Bonner then missed a 3-pointer from the wing and Courtney Vandersloot made two free throws with 6.9 seconds left to seal the win.
Bonner had 18 points to lead the Sun, which had 17 turnovers.
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