Valkyries' five-game trek ends with a thud in blowout loss to Las Vegas
The shorthanded expansion outfit capped the longest trip of its inaugural season Sunday afternoon with a 101-77 loss to the Las Vegas Aces at Michelob Ultra Arena. Already down All-Star forward Kayla Thornton, forward Cecilia Zandalasini and guard Monique Billings, Golden State played without guard Tiffany Hayes, scratched pregame with a left leg injury.
Starting forward Janelle Salaün was also ejected with 3.3 seconds left in the first half after running through Aces guard Jewell Loyd in transition and garnering a flagrant 2 foul upon review.
Iliana Rupert scored a team-high 17 for the Valkyries, who shot 34.2% – succumbing to fatigue compounded by the active, cohesive defense of Las Vegas. Golden State caps its five-game trip – that started last Sunday against the Connecticut Sun – with losses bookending three straight wins.
Jewell Loyd made seven 3-pointers and scored 27 for Las Vegas, which overtook Golden State for seventh place in the WNBA. Aces star forward A'ja Wilson, the league's reigning MVP, added 14 points, 14 rebounds and four steals while standout wing Jackie Young provided 20 points and a team-high eight assists.
The Valkyries improved Friday to 14-13 – they last had more wins than losses July 9-11 – by beating the Chicago Sky following wins over the Washington Mystics and Atlanta Dream. Their bid for a fourth consecutive win Sunday started with a 4-3 lead, but Las Vegas (15-14) intensified its defense and ignited its transition offense.
Demolished Saturday by 53 points against the reigning runner-up Minnesota Lynx – the biggest margin of defeat in the WNBA since 1998 – Las Vegas cohesively coaxed Golden State into four first-quarter turnovers. Wilson both protected the rim and pestered the perimeter in ball screen actions, securing two first-quarter steals and setting the tempo the Aces maintained.
A 27-14 end-of-the-first-quarter deficit mushroomed to 50-25 by halftime as the Valkyries missed 15 of 17 triples, shooting 26.5% from the field. Such a deficit was too much to overcome despite the usual inspired effort and 14 points apiece from Carla Leite and Laeticia Amihere.
Golden State starts a three-game homestand Wednesday, also against Las Vegas.
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