Young's 32 Clinches Playoff Spot for Aces
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- Jackie Young scored a season-high 32 points with five 3-pointers, including 12 straight Aces points in the fourth quarter capped by a 3-pointer with 4:17 left that made it 74-64.
- Las Vegas Aces clinched a playoff spot at 24-11, becoming the second team to secure a postseason berth and moving within one game of the Minnesota Lynx (league-best) and Golden State (24-9).
- Young finished 10-of-14 from the field, 5-of-8 from three, and 7-of-8 at the line — her first 30-point performance of the season — while Jewell Loyd added 13 and A'ja Wilson chipped in 15.
- Becky Hammon became the fifth head coach in WNBA history to make the playoffs in each of her first five seasons, per ESPN Research; Sandy Brondello holds the record at 13 straight to start her career.
- Shakira Austin posted 29 points and eight rebounds and Sonia Citron added 17 points and eight assists for Washington, which fell to 19-14 and has now lost two straight after a seven-game winning streak.
- Kiki Iriafen managed just five points in 27 minutes after picking up her fifth foul with 1:45 left in the third quarter, limiting her impact against the Aces.
Why it matters: The Aces (24-11) now sit within a game of second-place Golden State (24-9), tightening the WNBA playoff race at the top of the standings, while Becky Hammon joins an elite five-coach club for reaching the postseason in each of her first five seasons as a head coach.
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