Chelsea Gray hit two clutch buzzer-beaters—including a game-winner in overtime—to lift the defending champion Las Vegas Aces to an 86-84 victory over the Indiana Fever on Thursday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, capping a dramatic night marked by a 20-point comeback and late-game mistakes by Caitlin Clark.
Thursday night’s showdown in Indianapolis delivered everything a basketball fan could ask for, provided your nerves could handle it. The Las Vegas Aces erased a massive 20-point first-half deficit, weathered a courtside security incident involving heckling fans, and ultimately relied on the steady, cold-blooded brilliance of Chelsea Gray to escape with a stunning 86-84 overtime victory over the Indiana Fever.
Gray’s Buzzer-Beaters Stun Indiana After Clark’s Missed Opportunities
For the first 39 minutes and 59 seconds of regulation, Gray had been quiet on the offensive end, managing just five points. But when the Aces needed her most, the veteran guard delivered twice in high-pressure moments. First, she buried a 3-pointer at the regulation buzzer to tie the game at 75-75 and force overtime.
The dramatic finish was set up by a series of uncharacteristic miscues from Caitlin Clark. With Indiana leading by three points and just seven seconds remaining in regulation, Clark missed two free throws that would have effectively sealed the contest. She finished the night with 20 points, eight assists, and three rebounds, but also committed eight turnovers.
“Obviously, it just can’t happen. Those are free throws I usually make and certainly frustrating. Obviously, one of them gives us a two-possession lead and kind of caused my pain there, for sure, so that’s on me.”
Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever guard
In the extra period, Clark and the Fever again held the upper hand before another costly turnover gave Las Vegas the final possession. With the clock winding down in overtime and Indiana clinging to an 84-83 deficit—after Kelsey Mitchell had put the Fever ahead moments earlier—Gray struck again, knocking down her second game-winning 3-pointer as time expired.
Young and Wilson Fuel the Aces’ Historic Comeback
The victory looked improbable early on. The Fever raced out to a commanding 42-22 lead in the first half, overwhelming the defending champions behind strong performances from Kelsey Mitchell, who led Indiana with 28 points, and Aliyah Boston, who added 21 points and 12 rebounds. But Las Vegas turned the tide by closing the first half on a blistering 15-0 run.
Jackie Young spearheaded the momentum-shifting surge, scoring 22 points total—including a franchise-record 15 points bridging the second and third quarters. A’ja Wilson shook off a tough shooting night from the field to collect 26 points and 13 rebounds, anchoring the defensive stop in overtime that created Gray’s game-winning transition opportunity.
“We had a play drawn up, and it wasn’t for me. First of all, A’ja made a great stop defensively. We always say it is going to come down to our defense, and she made a great stop defensively and got it to me on the outlet. I slid it to Jackie to make her score the basketball, but she hunted me down on the 3-point line, and I looked up at the clock and knocked it down.”
Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas Aces guard
Courtside Confrontation Draws Security and Attention
The intensity on the court spilled over to the sidelines during the third quarter. With 4:38 remaining in the period, the game was paused when venue security escorted a woman out through a tunnel from her front-row seat across from the Aces bench. A few minutes later, she returned to her seat, but two nearby men seated close to her were removed from the arena.
Las Vegas guard Jackie Young had actively gestured toward officials to address the section during a stoppage, later telling reporters that someone had been chirping
all night and crossed the line. Following the game, an Indiana Fever spokesperson clarified that security determined no violation of the Fan Code of Conduct occurred, and the individual in question elected to leave rather than stay.
Standings Impact and the Road Ahead
Meanwhile, Indiana dropped to 19-12, maintaining fifth place in the playoff picture.
The Fever will look to rebound on Saturday when they travel to face Chicago.
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