Aces set single-season wins record; All-Star shines on birthday

Kelsey Plum wasn’t having a very happy birthday.

The Aces guard, who celebrated her 29th birthday Thursday, had four points in the first half against the Chicago Sky. She was 0 of 5 from the floor, and the Aces trailed by 13 points as they headed to the locker room.

“It was a very ugly first half,” she said.

Plum only needed a quarter to change the outcome. The All-Star finished with 23 points, five assists, three rebounds and a steal to help the Aces clinch a 94-87 win against the Sky at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.

It’s the Aces 30th win of the season, the most by a WNBA team in league history, surpassing the 29 victories achieved by the 2014 Phoenix Mercury. Coach Becky Hammon’s team also accomplished the feat in 34 games, the same amount Phoenix played during its record-setting season.

“It’s pretty cool,” point guard Chelsea Gray said. “But we’re striving for more than that.”

Guard Jackie Young had 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Aces (30-4), while Gray poured in 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting and 10 assists. It’s the fourth time in the past six games Gray has reached double figures in assists.

Guard Marina Mabrey scored 22 points and made four 3-pointers to lead the Sky (13-21). The Aces’ win secures their first season sweep against Chicago since 2014.

Here are three takeaways from the game:

1. Plum’s third quarter

The Aces’ second-half comeback was powered in large part by a barrage of third-quarter 3s from Plum. She scored 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting after failing to score a field goal in the first 20 minutes. All her makes were 3s, and she also had a steal and an assist.

Her output helped the Aces outscore the Sky 33-18 in the third quarter, and they tied the game on a 3 from reserve forward Alysha Clark.

“In life, you’ve just got to keep shooting,” Plum said. “First half — it is what it is. Second half — it is what it is. I was just going to keep shooting.”

2. Second-half rebounding

The Aces were losing the rebounding battle 20-14 at halftime. No Aces player had more than four rebounds, while three Sky players had four or more. Chicago also had four offensive rebounds and six second-chance points.

Hammon got her team to respond after the break. Young and reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson each grabbed 10 rebounds, while Clark and Plum added four and three, respectively. The Aces finished the game with a 34-33 rebounding advantage.

3. Pushing the pace

After fighting their way back into the game in the third quarter, the Aces stepped on the gas in the fourth. They played off their defense in the second half, scoring 11 fast-break points while keeping the pace of the game open to force the Sky to keep up.

Hammon praised her team’s fitness, saying this is one of the most professional groups she’s been around.

“They know exactly what it takes for their bodies to perform at a high level, night in and night out,” Hammon said. “That’s not me, that’s them. That’s who they are.”

Contact reporter Andy Yamashita at ayamashita@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ANYamashita on X.