INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A’ja Wilson became the WNBA’s single-season scoring leader and finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds to help the Las Vegas Aces beat the Indiana Fever 86-75 on Wednesday night for their 14th straight win in the series.
Wilson passed Jewell Loyd’s total of 939 points on a jumper from the free-throw line with 26.4 seconds left before halftime. Wilson needed just 35 games to top last year’s record by Loyd, who needed 38 games. Wilson’s previous high was 912 points, set in 40 games last season.
She finished the game with 956 points this season and could potentially be the first player in league history to reach 1,000 in a year.
After Indiana got within 72-66, Wilson scored eight straight Las Vegas points in a two-minute span for an 80-71 lead with 4:04 left. The Aces didn’t score again until Wilson completed a three-point play with 1:04 left.
Indiana had a chance to get within 80-76 but Caitlin Clark missed a wide open 3-pointer.
Wilson found Alysha Clark in the corner for a 3-pointer with 34.2 seconds left and then sealed the game with a steal at the other end.
Las Vegas is the only team Indiana has not beaten this season. The Fever will get another chance when the teams meet again on Friday.
Alysha Clark finished with 14 points, Tiffany Hayes added 12 and Chelsea Gray scored 11 for Las Vegas (23-13).
Caitlin Clark struggled from the 3-point line in going 1 of 10, but she finished with 16 points on 6-of-22 shooting overall for Indiana (19-18). Kelsey Mitchell scored a team-high 24 points for her third straight game with 20-plus.
Wilson, who entered 11 points away from passing Loyd, scored 10 points in the first quarter and Hayes added eight as Las Vegas led 20-18.
