A'ja Wilson's 36 points carry Aces past Fever and into WNBA semifinals

The Las Vegas Aces advanced to the 2026 WNBA semifinals on Thursday, October 1, beating the Indiana Fever 94-83 in the deciding Game 3 of their first-round series. The Aces' official recap credits A'ja Wilson with a game-high 36 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. The result ends Indiana's season and sends Las Vegas into a best-of-five semifinal.

Wilson's double-double was the headline, but Las Vegas did not ask her to supply the entire offense. Chelsea Gray scored 23 points with five assists, and Jackie Young added 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists while playing all 40 minutes, according to the Aces. Those contributions matter in a close-out game against a Fever team that had forced this trip back to Las Vegas.

The performance that settled the series

The series was not a formality. Wilson had 38 points and 16 rebounds in a Game 1 win, then Indiana responded with a 99-89 Game 2 victory at home. Las Vegas took the third meeting and the series 2-1. The three-game sequence shows both the danger Indiana presented and the value of the Aces having a decisive game on their own floor.

Las Vegas will meet the winner of Friday's Dallas Wings-Golden State Valkyries Game 3. That opponent is not yet settled at this morning check. The WNBA semifinal round is scheduled to begin Sunday, October 4, so the Aces can prepare for the round without yet knowing which team will be across the floor.

Next opponent still to be decided

The verified story is advancement, not a guarantee about the next matchup. Wilson gave Las Vegas the strongest individual performance in the elimination game, while Gray and Young gave it enough scoring and playmaking around her to close the door. The semifinal opponent and game-specific viewing details should be checked again after Friday's result.