Tempo beat – Marina Mabrey scored 26 points with four steals as Toronto Tempo earned their franchise-first WNBA victory, beating Seattle 86-73.
TORONTO — Marina Mabrey’s all-around impact set the tone for a breakthrough night for the Toronto Tempo. with her 26 points and four steals helping the expansion franchise secure its first WNBA win.. The Tempo defeated the Seattle Storm 86-73 on Wednesday. turning a tightly contested start into a decisive finish as home momentum swung firmly in Toronto’s favour.
Mabrey delivered the game’s most decisive scoring. finishing with a game-high 26 points while also hauling in defensive pressure with four steals.. Brittney Sykes added a strong two-way stat line of 18 points. eight rebounds and six assists. giving Toronto a steady connection between scoring and playmaking.. Maria Conde chipped in with 16 points coming off the bench. an important boost that helped the Tempo maintain and then extend leads as the game moved into its later stages.
Seattle, meanwhile, was led by Dominique Malonga, who scored 21 points to pace the Storm’s offence.. Stefanie Dolson contributed 16 points, but Seattle’s challenge was consistent resistance to what Toronto did most effectively after halftime.. The Storm’s scoring was supported in part by early control of the interior. yet the closing minutes belonged to the Tempo as Toronto’s execution sharpened.
The game’s early rhythm reflected both sides’ confidence and urgency. with trading baskets on nearly every possession in the opening quarter.. Even so. a pivotal swing arrived when Toronto produced a 10-2 run to close the first period. taking a 29-24 lead into the second.. That early surge offered a first clear separation, but it would not last for long.
Momentum flipped again in the second quarter, with Seattle finding its own finishing burst late in the frame.. The Storm closed out the half with a 7-0 run to level the game at the break’s hinge point. taking a 45-44 edge into halftime.. The back-and-forth nature of that stretch underlined how quickly the WNBA swing can change when each possession becomes a potential turning point.
Toronto regained control in the third quarter as Mabrey and Conde’s production intensified.. After falling behind 50-47 early in the period. the Tempo answered with an 18-6 run. reaching the largest lead of the game at 65-56.. Mabrey and Conde combined for 14 points in the quarter. and those contributions helped reshape the contest into a manageable advantage for Toronto heading into the final frame.
In the fourth quarter, Mabrey continued to take over at critical moments.. Early in the period. she scored eight points in the first six minutes. including a high-arching three that stretched Toronto’s lead to 81-71 and ignited the home crowd.. The Tempo’s ability to keep Seattle at arm’s length during that stretch helped convert the third-quarter momentum into a full. franchise-defining victory.
Toronto’s shooting and rhythm told part of the story.. The Tempo began with strong efficiency. hitting 58.8 per cent from the field in the first quarter. but their mark dipped sharply in the second frame to 37.5 per cent.. Still. Toronto leaned heavily on Mabrey’s output in the second half. highlighted by her 6-for-11 shooting after halftime and 16 of her 26 points during the stretch when the Tempo built its biggest leads.
Seattle’s offensive pattern relied on its interior matchup early.. Dolson at centre and Malonga at power forward were met with limited resistance. and the two combined for 26 of the Storm’s 45 first-half points.. That early foundation also shaped the three-point contest. which leaned heavily on the Storm creating advantages before kicks and rotations set in.
A key highlight near the end of the game came when Mabrey struck a high-arching, contested three with about four minutes remaining to put Toronto up 81-71. While the Storm continued to find ways to score, that shot reflected the Tempo’s willingness to take control when the margin tightened.
The win also marked a memorable moment for the Tempo’s newest addition to the franchise.. Rookie guard Kiki Rice, Toronto’s first-round draft pick, scored her first WNBA points in standout fashion.. She delivered a personal 5-0 run that helped spark a 10-2 Tempo surge late in the first quarter. and she finished the night with 12 points.. For an expansion side, contributions like that can matter just as much as the final margin.
Beyond the scoreboard, the result sets the immediate tone for what comes next for both teams. The Tempo will open a four-game road trip against the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday, bringing a new challenge after celebrating their first franchise win in front of the home crowd.
Seattle. after the loss. heads to continue its schedule as it plays the third game of a four-game road trip against the Indiana Fever on Friday.. With the Storm already navigating the pressures of early-season adjustments. that next matchup will be an opportunity to respond quickly after a game that shifted repeatedly before Toronto pulled away in the final stretches.
For the Tempo, Wednesday’s 86-73 win wasn’t only a first victory—it was a proof of character. Despite surrendering the lead at halftime, Toronto found its scoring answers, turned key runs into separation, and rode Mabrey’s momentum to finish the job.
Toronto Tempo Seattle Storm Marina Mabrey WNBA results franchise first win Kiki Rice Brittney Sykes