Aces secure playoff spot with victory over Mystics

LAS VEGAS — Jackie Young had a season-high 32 points and five 3-pointers, A’ja Wilson added 15 points. The Las Vegas Aces secured a playoff spot with an 83-76 victory over the Washington Mystics on Thursday night. Young scored 12 straight points in the fourth quarter, finishing 10 of 14 from the field, including 5 of 8 from three-point range, and 7 of 8 at the free-throw line for her first 30-point performance of the season. Fellow guard Jewell Loyd added 13 points. Las Vegas (24-11) moved within a game of second-place Golden State (24-9). Shakira Austin had 29 points and eight rebounds, while Sonia Citron added 17 points and eight assists for Washington (19-14), which lost two straight after a seven-game winning streak. Kiki Iriafen, who fouled out with five fouls, finished with just five points in 27 minutes. The Aces started the game with a 14-2 run but missed their first eight field-goal attempts in the second quarter, allowing the Mystics to tie the game at 25-24. Las Vegas led 38-32 at halftime. Up next, the Mystics will host Los Angeles on Saturday, while the Aces will host Minnesota on Saturday.