Even with a lopsided final score, the roof at Coca-Cola Coliseum nearly came off one last time. In front of another sold-out crowd on fan appreciation day, the Toronto Tempo dropped their regular-season home finale to the New York Liberty 106-69. This marked the Liberty’s first visit to Coca-Cola Coliseum, following Toronto’s earlier win against them at the Centre Bell in Montreal.
Let’s break down the good, the bad, and the outlook.
The Good
Let’s take a moment to shout out the fans who have supported this team with passion, pride and unwavering loyalty all season!
Toronto had plenty to celebrate in this final home stand, and once again, over 8,200 fans showed up to fill the building with the exact same energy and enthusiasm they’ve brought all year, regardless of the standings. Right from tip-off, the atmosphere was electric—fans were on their feet, driving defensive chants and roaring after every hustle play. First never fades, and Canada is fully committed to this franchise!
Fueled by the energy of the crowd, the Tempo got on the glass early and attacked the rim with an aggressive mindset. However, a veteran Liberty squad came out scorching, knocking down 6 of their first 9 three-pointers to jump ahead early.
The second quarter turned into a rookie masterclass for Toronto. Kiki Rice entered the game holding strong at 5th in WNBA rookie scoring, continuing to build an undeniable case for All-Rookie team honors by putting up 17 points in the first half alone. Meanwhile, the versatile and reliable Laura Juškaitė added 12 points in the half en route to a career-high 28-point performance. Both rookies showed supreme confidence, getting downhill and embracing contact for tough finishes against elite interior defenders.
Rice and Juškaitė have shown incredible growth and resilience in their debut WNBA seasons. Even as the losses piled up down the stretch, these rookies kept rising—battling with a smile and grit that makes the future of this franchise look exceptionally bright. (Not even a cut to the lip could slow Juškaitė down today.)
The Bad
Ending the first half down 8 felt like a great place to be for the Tempo. They had weathered the hot shooting of the Liberty in the first quarter and turned defensive stops into easy transition buckets in the second.
Unfortunately, this is where New York decided to turn things up a notch, motivated by their hunt for a chance to host the opening round of the playoffs. Breanna Stewart, the 2026 FIBA World Cup MVP, proved to be an unsolvable puzzle all game, pouring in 27 points in just 22 minutes. Her six points in the opening five minutes pushed Stewart past Cappie Pondexter’s 6,811 points into eighth place on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list.
The Liberty did a great job of spreading the floor and finding open shooters. They finished the day with 16 3-pointers making it hard for the Tempo to lock down the perimeter players while worrying about players like Stewie down low. Rebecca Allen added 14 points off the bench, and Jonquel Jones chipped in 11.
A blistering 33-point third quarter from New York ultimately dashed Toronto’s hopes of a home-court upset, but the scoreboard couldn’t quiet the crowd. As the final buzzer sounded, the faithful rose to their feet for a standing ovation lasting well over a minute—a fitting tribute to the team and an unforgettable inaugural season. While basketball fans and nerds like us can get caught up in the wins and losses of the season, the Tempo fans never wavered in the love and support they poured into this franchise from the jump. Let’s take a moment to let this sink in one more time. Canada has a WNBA team and it is here to stay!
Outlook
While the home slate has come to a close, the Toronto Tempo still have two final battles on the road to wrap up year one. Up next is a trip to the Windy City on Tuesday, September 22, where the Tempo will have a shot at completing a 3-game regular-season sweep against the Sky. In their previous meeting on June 7, Toronto claimed an 85-68 win, and tonight’s gritty stretches proved this squad will fight right down to the final whistle.
Of course, we would be remiss not to check in on the 2027 lottery odds and its implications for this game. Currently, the Tempo continue to have the second-best odds of landing the number one pick in the 2027 WNBA draft. Chicago currently has the third-best odds; however, because of a previous trade for Ariel Atkins, they owe this pick to the Washington Mystics (considering how good the Mystics already are, that is a scary thought). In other words, the Sky would not be coming into this game looking to lose.
