Wilson leads Aces to win over Connecticut

BRADENTON, Fla. — A’ja Wilson had 29 points, seven rebounds and a career-high seven blocks to lead the top-seeded Las Vegas Aces past the Connecticut Sun 83-75 on Tuesday night to even the best-of-five playoff series at 1-1.

Wilson converted a three-point play with 1:03 remaining to break a tie at 75. After Connecticut’s 17th turnover of the game, Wilson drove to the basket again, bobbled it and made the layup while being fouled. She missed the free throw, but Angel McCoughtry grabbed the rebound and Dearica Hamby made 1 of 2 free throws for an eight-point lead.

STORM 88, LYNX 86: Alysha Clark’s putback at the buzzer lifted the Seattle Storm past the Minnesota Lynx 88-86 on Tuesday night in the first game of the semifinal series.

Seattle inbounded it with 14.8 seconds left after Napheesa Collier tied it on an up-and-under move. Sami Whitcomb got it in the corner and drove the baseline for a layup that missed but it fell to Clark, who corralled it and released it just before the final buzzer.

Seattle, which has won seven straight games against Minnesota, hadn’t played since Sept. 13 after earning a double-bye to the semifinals. The game was originally scheduled for Sunday, but it was postponed because of inconclusive COVID-19 tests with three players on the Storm. Seattle stars Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird had been off since Sept. 9 due to injuries.

Jewell Loyd scored 18 of her 25 points in the first half for Seattle.