Las Vegas Aces vs Connecticut Sun: Starting 5, Injury Report, & Predictions as A’ja Wilson & Co. Looks to Bounce Back

Get ready for fireworks on Tuesday night as the Connecticut Sun take on the Las Vegas Aces in a rematch of the 2022 WNBA Finals at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Both squads are looking to bounce back after tough opening-night losses. Nobody wants to start the season 0-2 — but one of these teams is about to face that tough reality. Becky Hammon’s Aces entered the season with sky-high expectations and a dominant preseason, but their momentum hit a wall against the reigning champions.

A’ja Wilson put on a show with 31 points and 16 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough as the Aces fell to the New York Liberty, 92-78. Wilson wasn’t too happy with how they played. “I think it was a lot on us. Like, don’t get it twisted—New York is going to be New York. They’re a great team. But a lot of things we did were self-inflicted, and that’s what really hurts the most,” she said, adding that the team will come back stronger next game because they know exactly where to improve.

The Sun faced heartbreak too in their season opener against the Washington Mystics. Holding a five-point lead in the final quarter, they just couldn’t close it out and ended up losing 90-85. Tina Charles was vintage Tina, dropping 23 points and grabbing 10 boards, but even her effort couldn’t lift the Sun to victory.

Both teams will head into Tuesday’s clash desperate to get their first win of the season. Let’s break down their starting lineups and injury updates before trying to predict how this one will play out.

Who’s out? Injury news for Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun

The last time these two teams met, the Aces swept the Sun in the regular season, going 3-0 against them last year. On the injury front, Connecticut has just one player sidelined for Tuesday’s doubleheader. Aneesah Morrow is expected to miss her WNBA debut due to a knee injury. On the bright side, Saniya Rivers is back from injury and could make her emotional debut in front of the home crowd — the number 8 pick in the 2025 draft is ready to hit the court. Something for the fans to cheer!

The Las Vegas Aces are free of any fresh injury worries, but they’ll still be without two key players. Megan Gustafson and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus remain sidelined for the first half of the season as they work through their lengthy recoveries.

Las Vegas Aces and Connecticut Sun: Projected starters

Here’s a look at the projected starting five for both teams.

Connecticut Sun

Tina Charles Marina Mabrey Olivia Nelson-Odoba Jacy Sheldon Lindsay Allen

Las Vegas Aces

Kiah Stokes Jackie Young A’ja Wilson Chelsea Gray Jewell Lyod

 

Match Prediction: Can A’ja Wilson lead the Aces past the Sun?

When you look at the match odds, it’s quite clear that the Aces will be entering enemy territory as the favorites. Here are the odds presented by BetMGM.

Spread: Aces -12.5 (-115) | Sun +12.5 (-105) Moneyline: Aces -667 | Sun +465 Over/Under: Over 166.5 (-110) | Under 166.5 (-110)

It’s no surprise the Aces are favorites heading into this game. After their second-round exit to the Minnesota Lynx, the Connecticut Sun have gone through a complete overhaul –top to bottom. Rumors are even swirling that the team might be sold soon. Head coach Stephanie White has stepped down, making way for Rachid Meziane. The roster looks almost unrecognizable compared to last year’s 28-12 squad. Stars like Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner are gone, and starters Brionna Jones, DiJonai Carrington, and Tyasha Harris didn’t return either. You can tell that this team won’t be reaching the playoffs this year.

Aug 25, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) celebrates with teammates after scoring game winning basket against the Chicago Sky during the second half at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

After falling short of a three-peat last season, the Las Vegas Aces made a bold move–trading away Kelsey Plum in exchange for Jewell Loyd. But Game 1 against the Liberty showed the adjustment might take time. Loyd didn’t even attempt a shot in the first quarter, and the chemistry looked off. Clearly, Loyd will need some time to settle into the new system, and how quickly she adapts remains to be seen. Natasha Cloud and Breanna Stewart proved too much for the Aces to handle in that opener, but there’s still plenty of hope that Vegas will find their groove soon.

It’s still early in the season, but there’s a clear reason why the Aces are tied with Minnesota for the second-best title odds in 2025 –and why the Sun rank just above the expansion Valkyries in the betting lines. Vegas has dominated this matchup recently, winning four straight and eight of the last ten games — including four straight wins by double digits.

Will that dominance continue again? It should, especially if A’ja Wilson keeps playing at this level. The Aces have too many weapons to struggle against an all-new Sun squad. But hey, stranger things have happened in basketball before, so it wouldn’t be a shock if the Sun pull off a sneaky upset.

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