A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces failed to close out their first-round series against the Indiana Fever in Game 2 on Tuesday. The defending WNBA champions were one win away from advancing to the semifinals, but the Fever had other plans.
After a deflating 17-point loss in Game 1, Indiana bounced back with a 99-89 win to extend the series. Caitlin Clark led the Fever, scoring 27 points on 50% shooting. She also grabbed seven boards and dished out 15 assists.
Jackie Young had a game-high 31 points, four rebounds, and five assists for the Aces. Wilson, the reigning WNBA MVP, had 22 points, nine rebounds and three steals. However, it still wasn’t enough to secure the win.
On top of that, Wilson got into an altercation with a courtside fan during the game. The 6-foot-4 center got tangled up with Sophie Cunningham, resulting in a foul on the Fever star.
Wilson, however, approached a fan sitting courtside right after the play. The Aces superstar had a heated exchange with the fan, and her teammates had to pull Wilson back. This resulted in a technical foul against the eight-time All-Star.
After the game, Wilson called out the fan’s “unacceptable” behavior. She did not appreciate how the fan was pointing at her, prompting her to confront him.
Wilson apologized to her teammates, but made it clear that she stands by her actions.
“I apologize to my team because I got us a tech,” Wilson said. “But it’s just certain things I’m not going to allow anymore because it’s just unacceptable.”
Unless the technical foul is rescinded following league review, Wilson faces a $500 fine under the WNBA’s rules.
Meanwhile, officials escorted the fan out of his seat right after the altercation. However, he was allowed to return after the Fever determined he had not violated the Fan Code of Conduct.
The Aces will host the Fever for a do-or-die Game 3 at Michelob ULTRA Arena on Thursday. Wilson and Co. will look to finish the job and advance to the next round.
