Jewell Loyd silenced the Washington Mystics and nearly blew the roof off Michelob Ultra Arena. Las Vegas exploded on Friday night, not with fireworks, but with pure chaos. Jewell Loyd buried a clutch corner 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left to complete a wild 75-72 comeback win over the Washington Mystics in the Aces’ home opener at Michelob Ultra Arena.
The bucket ignited the arena. As the shot dropped, Aces fans erupted. The crowd noise was deafening, a release of tension from nearly four quarters of trailing. Las Vegas, once down 12 points, closed the game on a 9-0 run. Loyd, quiet for most of the night, delivered when it mattered most.
Jewell Loyd Delivers Late as the Las Vegas Aces Complete Comeback Against Mystics
With the Aces trailing 72-66 in the final 75 seconds, Jackie Young scored six unanswered points to tie the game at 72. On the next possession, Kiah Stokes blocked Jade Melbourne’s layup attempt.
Aces head coach Becky Hammon then drew up a sideline play that saw A’ja Wilson find Jewell Loyd in the corner. Loyd took the pass, squared up, and buried the shot.
JEWELL LOYD FOR THE WIN!!!
ACES WIN!!!
THE HOUSE IS ELECTRICCCCC!!!!#ALLINLV
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces)
The moment sent the Las Vegas crowd into a complete frenzy. Videos from the arena showed fans on their feet, screaming, and throwing their hands in the air as Loyd was swarmed by her teammates. The Las Vegas Aces improved to 2-1 with the win.
JEWELL LOYD CALLS GAME FOR THE ACES 🚨
Las Vegas picks up the 75-72 win over the Washington Mystics led by Jackie Young’s 25 PTS. https://t.co/hBaV2E5W6k pic.twitter.com/QSoSyyYGVb
— WNBA (@WNBA)
Loyd finished with 9 points on 2-for-9 shooting. The Mystics fell to 2-2 on the season.
Jackie Young and A’ja Wilson Step Up in Clutch Minutes for Las Vegas Aces
Trailing 72-66 with just over a minute left, Las Vegas looked flat. But Jackie Young sparked a late rally, scoring six unanswered points to tie the game. Kiah Stokes then blocked Jade Melbourne’s layup attempt with 5 seconds to go, giving the Aces one final possession. She was the driving force behind the fourth-quarter rally. A’ja Wilson added 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists, including the final pass to Loyd that sealed the game.
Chelsea Gray chipped in 17 points, and Stokes made the critical block that gave Las Vegas its final possession.
For Washington, Sonia Citron scored 19 points on 54.5% shooting from the field. Kiki Iriafen added 17 points and 13 rebounds. Jade Melbourne contributed 14 points, and Sug Sutton added 10.
The Mystics were without Brittney Sykes, who missed the game due to a leg injury. Sykes had averaged 26.3 points through her first three games, including a 30-point outing earlier in the week.
The Las Vegas Aces will travel next to face the Seattle Storm on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.
Kobe Bryant’s Mentorship Shaped Loyd’s Mindset Off the Court
Jewell Loyd’s poise in pressure moments has long been part of her game, but it’s her mentality that sets her apart, and much of that stems from her relationship with the late Kobe Bryant.
“Everyone talks about the mindset, but I think it’s the vulnerability,” Loyd said on Bird’s Eye View. “A lot of the time we talked, it was trying to get me outside of my comfort zone.”
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They had more in common than just playing the sport. Bryant gave Loyd a 700-page document from his book when he was playing overseas. “He’s like, ‘I know reading is tough for you, let’s read this book together,’” Loyd recalled. Bryant knew Loyd was dyslexic and wanted to share something personal with her.
That moment continues to influence Loyd today. Though Bryant gave her the nickname “Gold Mamba,” it wasn’t about trophies. As she once told Sports Illustrated, the name stood for “the value you have, your purpose, and your drive is unique.”
