Austin’s free throws lifts Mystics past Tempo 68-65 in Toronto’s regular-season debut

Brittney Sykes sank the first-ever basket in franchise history in front of a sold-out crowd of 8,210 at Coca-Cola Coliseum. She finished with 14 points.

Hamilton’s Kia Nurse, the only Canadian on Toronto’s roster, came off the bench with two points, a rebound and an assist.

Takeaways

Mystics: Washington’s superior shooting carried the day, with the Mystics going 25 for 64 (39.1 per cent) on field-goal attempts, including 5 for 24 (20.8 per cent) on three-pointers. Oddly, they struggled at the free-throw line, going 13 for 22 (59.1 per cent).

Tempo: Although the expansion team’s roster was just built within the past month, Toronto’s emphasis on acquiring veterans helped with its depth. The Tempo’s bench outscored their opponents 11-4.

Key moment

Laura Juskaite’s three-pointer with 1:53 left in the game tied it 63-63 for Toronto. Mabrey grabbed a defensive rebound on the ensuing Washington possession, leading to a Tempo timeout. Iriafen sank a free throw with 1:04 to play for a narrow one-point Mystics lead, but Mabrey answered with a pair of free throws of her own before before Austin clinched it.

Key stat

Washington more than doubled Toronto’s points in the paint, 40-16.

Up next

Toronto: Hosts the Seattle Storm on Wednesday.

Washington: Hosts the New York Liberty on Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2026.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Austin’s free throws lifts Mystics past Tempo 68-65 in Toronto’s regular-season debut

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