When the Seattle Storm held on in the fourth quarter to upset the Las Vegas Aces in Game 1 of the semifinals on Sunday, A’ja Wilson — the Aces’ best player — hadn’t heard her name called over the loudspeaker in a while.

In the 76-73 loss, Wilson made just three shots, her second-lowest total of the season. That statistic sounds bad on paper, and in reality, it’s even worse. With 10 shot attempts, and only one in the fourth quarter, Wilson’s offensive presence was virtually non-existent for the Aces.

The MVP candidate leads the team in scoring, averaging 19.5 points per game, and does so in an efficient manner, making 50 percent of her shot attempts. But on Sunday, Wilson finished with just eight points on 30 percent shooting as her team fell at home to the No. 4-seeded Storm.

Wilson has been the focal point of the Las Vegas offense all season, but the Aces failed to get her involved in a big way and, as a result, enter Game 2 on Wednesday in a 1-0 hole.

Let’s break down Wilson’s performance by quarter.

First quarter

Seattle started the game hot, jumping out to a 26-15 lead, while the Aces made just four shots in the opening 10 minutes. Wilson didn’t record a single point in the first quarter, but she did have four attempts, her highest total of the four periods.

Wilson is a capable shooter in the midrange and from long range, averaging 37.3 percent from the 3-point line this season, but her best basketball is played in the paint. She scores 65.1 percent of her points from inside the arc, averaging a league-high 12.1 attempts per game from 2-point range and making 6.4 of them.

But in the first quarter on Sunday, Wilson took two jumpers from the free-throw line — one of which was blocked — and attempted two 3-pointers. In total, she had seven touches, none of which came in the paint and three of which were to help set up the Aces’ offense rather than take to the rim herself.

Second quarter

The second period was Wilson’s most productive of the contest, as she scored six points and helped the Aces cut the deficit from 11 points to seven.

She had eight touches, with five coming in scoring position and two in the low-post position. Wilson scored on both post-ups. On the first, she faked middle, took a one-dribble spin to the left side and finished over Magbegor as Seattle guard Stephanie Talbot came over to help. Her second made shot was on a two-dribble step-through to beat fellow MVP candidate Breanna Stewart.

🅰️ Bucket!@_ajawilson22 // #RaiseTheStakes pic.twitter.com/2MC6DIHsA7

— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) August 28, 2022

Her other three touches in scoring position resulted in a missed jumper, two free throws and a whistle on Talbot that sent her to the bench with three fouls and led to an inbounds play for the Aces.

Third quarter

The Aces started to claw their way back into the contest during the third quarter, and they trailed by three points going into the final frame. But they continued to neglect their centerpiece, which led to disjointed and inconsistent offense.

Wilson doesn’t need to shoot on every possession, but she does need to be involved. If Wilson catches in scoring position, the Storm have to react, often sending multiple defenders to help. That leads to openings for the rest of the Aces players and high-quality shot attempts.

But in the third quarter, Wilson had four touches and only two in scoring position. The first led to a double team and a tie-up, while the second resulted in a bucket as Wilson caught the ball at the free-throw line and drove past Stewart.

Fourth quarter

As the Aces fought to take the lead or force overtime in the fourth quarter, their top offensive player had one shot attempt. It was the only time she got the ball in scoring position and one of just four total touches for Wilson in the final period.

Las Vegas took its first lead with 6:15 left in the game as Riquna Williams knocked down a 3-pointer. From there, the lead evaporated as Jewell Loyd capped a 26-point performance with 11 points and an assist in the final five minutes of play. Kelsey Plum missed two looks from 3-point range in the last 25 seconds, and the Storm closed out the victory on the road.

The Aces will have a very hard time advancing to the Finals or winning a WNBA championship without Wilson’s constant involvement. Their game starts with Wilson in the paint, and that’s what will drive them to success. After learning their lesson on Sunday, Las Vegas needs to emphasize getting her post touches early and often in Game 2.

The Aces have lost consecutive games just three times this season, so expect Coach of the Year Becky Hammon to make adjustments and find ways to get Wilson more involved. Otherwise, Las Vegas will likely be facing a similar outcome Wednesday.

Eden Laase is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

The Soccer Tournament (TST) is coming back to Cary in 2026, as the North Carolina-based 7v7 competition dropped the dates for its fourth iteration earlier this week.

After its 2023 inaugural tournament, which included a mix of men's, women's, and co-ed teams, TST will re-up its 16-team women's competition — expanded in 2025 from eight teams in 2024 —alongside its men's edition this summer, running both contests from May 27th through June 1st.

Additionally, TST will again be anteing up a $1 million winners check to entice soccer's top players to take the pitch in Cary.

The seven-figure prize again has the reigning two-time champion US Women coming back, with USWNT alum and incoming National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee Heather O'Reilly announcing in November that the team will return to defend their title in 2026.

"Many of my former teammates with the USWNT will be making appearances, so we can't wait to see you in the summertime," promised O'Reilly at the TST x Cary Kickoff Party before adding a joking "we're not f—ing leaving."

As small-side events grow in popularity, North Carolina has doubled down on keeping TST at WakeMed Soccer Park, the home of the NWSL's Courage.

In October, the state awarded TST a $6.6 million grant to remain in Cary through 2029, anticipating an economic impact from the competition in the eight figures.

How to buy tickets for TST in 2026

The ticket pre-sale for TST 2026 will open at 9 AM ET on Tuesday, February 24th, with added exclusive benefits to fans who join TST's ticket waitlist.

LSU women's basketball star Flau'jae Johnson is gearing up again, with Sole Retriever revealing on Tuesday that the senior guard plans to drop a new Puma player exclusive sneaker next month.

The 22-year-old will take over the Puma All-Pro Nitro 2, pairing a tan and brown camouflage pattern with bright pink and green accents.

Adorned with a custom logo representing Johnson's No. 4 jersey — a four-finger hand image in green — the Tigers standout will see her exclusive logo on both the tongue and bottom sole of the All-Pro Nitro 2.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

A major player in Puma's NIL program since 2022, Johnson debuted her first player exclusive colorway in 2024, but this new design will be the NIL star's first PE available on the consumer market.

"They were very intrigued not only [about] basketball, but my music side, too," Johnson told Andscape after signing with the sportswear giant. "That was really important to me, because some people try to box you in. Puma was like, 'Ain't no box. Ain't no cage.'"

How to purchase the Puma All-Pro Nitro 2 Flau'jae Johnson PE sneaker

Retailing at $140, Johnson's Puma All-Pro Nitro 2 PE sneakers will hit both online and brick-and-mortar shelves on February 6th.

Orlando has landed a new front office leader, as the Pride announced on Tuesday that they've hired former Kansas City Current GM Caitlin Carducci as the Florida NWSL club's new VP of soccer operations and GM.

"Caitlin is a proven leader whose experience across every level of women's soccer and history of building championship-caliber rosters set her apart," said Pride owner and chairman Mark Wilf in the team's Tuesday statement. "She emerged as the clear choice in our search with her deep expertise, strong reputation, and a vision that aligns with our culture."

Carducci, whose resume also boasts roles developing the women's game at both the NWSL's headquarters and for US Soccer, stepped away from the Current after two seasons, departing after Kansas City's historic 2025 Shield-winning run.

She replaces outgoing VP of soccer operations and sporting director Haley Carter, who left the Pride in November prior to becoming the new president of soccer operations for the Washington Spirit.

Rather than instigating significant changes, Carducci plans to bolster the recent accomplishments of the 2024 Shield and championship-winning Orlando Pride with a goal of creating ongoing success for the club.

"The chance to work with the Wilf family, whose leadership and investment reflect their commitment to a world‑class organization, along with a championship‑level roster and technical staff, made this an easy decision," said Carducci. "I'm eager to begin this next chapter, strengthen the inclusive and ambitious culture that defines this club, and help push the Pride toward new heights."

Professional softball put down roots coast-to-coast on Tuesday, when the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) unveiled the home cities and stadiums for each of the expanded league's teams for the 2026 season — and beyond.

After adopting a touring model for its four-team inaugural 2025 campaign, AUSL's move into home markets coincides with the league's expansion, as the now-six-team second-year league welcomed the Cascade and Spark in November.

With Tuesday's announcement, the previously independent Spark will continue to play in Oklahoma City at Oklahoma Christian University's Tom Heath Field, with fellow expansion side Cascade making its home at Hillsboro Ballpark, in Portland, Oregon.

Meanwhile, the four original teams will re-debut as the Carolina Blaze, Chicago Bandits, Texas Volts, and Utah Talons.

The Blaze will play their home games at Duke University's Smith Family Stadium in Durham, North Carolina, while the Bandits' permanent home will be at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois — a longtime hub for pro softball.

The Volts will play at Dell Diamond, the home of Minor League Baseball's Round Rock Express, the Triple-A team for MLB's Texas Rangers.

Lastly, the University of Utah will house the Talons, with the reigning AUSL champions taking over the Utes' Dumke Family Stadium in Salt Lake City beginning this year.

"This is about creating lasting connections between our athletes, our teams, and the communities they represent, and setting up the sport of softball for long-term success at the professional level," said AUSL commissioner Kim Ng in Tuesday's announcement.

All six teams will kick off their 2026 season on June 9th, when games will be played across multiple cities simultaneously for the first time in AUSL history.

How to purchase 2026 AUSL season tickets

Softball fans can now score 2026 season tickets for their AUSL home teams online.