Jewell Loyd, A’ja Wilson star as Aces register rare win over Liberty

Jewell Loyd dropped 21 points and A’ja Wilson added 17 points and 16 rebounds as the Las Vegas Aces extended their season-best winning streak to five games with an 83-77 win over the visiting New York Liberty on Wednesday.

Jackie Young contributed 15 points and Chelsea Gray had 13 points and five assists, as Las Vegas (19-14) snapped a six-game regular-season losing streak against New York. The Liberty had also defeated the Aces in last year’s semifinals.

Emma Meesseman matched her season high for the second straight game with 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for New York (21-12). Sabrina Ionescu added 18 points, while Jonquel Jones scored 11. The Liberty, 1-1 on a three-game road trip, conclude it Saturday at Minnesota.

Tied at 72 with 4:19 remaining, Las Vegas went on an 8-2 run, with Wilson sinking four free throws to give the Aces an 80-74 lead. Ionescu’s 3-pointer cut the deficit to three, but after a late turnover by Las Vegas, she missed another from deep, and Young sealed the win at the line.The Liberty started strong, shooting 58.8 percent in the first quarter for a 24-20 lead. They led 43-40 at halftime behind Meesseman’s 12 points and six boards. New York’s Kennedy Burke returned from a calf strain to score eight points, while Breanna Stewart missed her ninth straight game with a knee injury.