Marina Mabrey scored a game-high 26 points and added four steals to lead the expansion Toronto Tempo to their first WNBA win, an 86-73 victory over the Seattle Storm on Wednesday.
Key Performances
Brittney Sykes contributed 18 points, eight rebounds, and six assists for Toronto (1-1), while Maria Conde added 16 points off the bench. Dominique Malonga led Seattle (1-2) with 21 points, and Stefanie Dolson chipped in 16 points.
Game Flow
The first quarter saw both teams trade baskets, but Toronto closed with a 10-2 run to lead 29-24. Seattle responded in the second quarter with a 7-0 run to take a 45-44 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Mabrey and Conde combined for 14 points as Toronto went on an 18-6 run to lead 65-56. Mabrey took over in the fourth, scoring eight points in the first six minutes, including a high-arcing three that put Toronto up 81-71.
Takeaways
Tempo: Toronto shot 58.8% in the first quarter but cooled off to 37.5% in the second. Mabrey's second-half performance (16 points on 6-for-11 shooting) was crucial.
Storm: Dolson and Malonga combined for 26 first-half points, driving Seattle's offense early.
Key Moment
Mabrey's contested three-pointer with four minutes left gave Toronto an 81-71 lead.
Key Stat
Rookie guard Kiki Rice scored her first WNBA points during a personal 5-0 run that sparked a 10-2 run late in the first quarter. Rice finished with 12 points.
Up Next
The Tempo begin a four-game road trip against the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday, while the Storm continue their road trip against the Indiana Fever on Friday.
