The Las Vegas Aces earned their eighth consecutive playoff berth with a win against the Washington Mystics on Thursday night. Shakira Austin led the Mystics with 29 points, but Jackie Young's season-high 32 points pushed the Aces past Washington 83-76 in the Mystics vs Aces rematch at Michelob ULTRA Arena.
Jackie Young Powers Aces Offense
Young decided the fourth quarter, scoring 12 straight points before hitting a 3-pointer with 4:17 left for a 74-64 lead. She shot 71.4% overall, 10-of-14 from the field, 5-of-8 from deep, and 7-of-8 at the line.
Teammate A'ja Wilson joined her on the scoreboard, logging 15 points, six rebounds, and two blocks while Jewell Loyd pitched in 13 off the bench.
Beyond Austin's effort, the Mystics relied on guard Sonia Citron who notched 17 points and eight assists for Washington. But foul trouble plagued the young WNBA side with Kiki Iriafen picking up her fifth with 1:45 left in the third to finish with five points in 27 minutes.
Las Vegas Locks Up Postseason Berth in Mystics vs Aces Rematch
The win moved the Aces to 24-11, putting them just one spot below the second-placed Golden State Valkyries while the Mystics suffered their second straight loss after seven wins in a row. Las Vegas joins Minnesota as the only teams to lock up a 2026 playoff spot so far.
Per ESPN Research, Becky Hammon is now the fifth head coach in WNBA history to reach the playoffs in each of her first five seasons.
The Aces next face top-ranked Minnesota Lynx on Saturday at 8 PM ET on CBS. The Mystics, meanwhile, take on the LA Sparks, Saturday at 7:30 PM ET on WNBA League Pass.
