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

TORONTO — Shakira Austin sank a pair of free throws with 17 seconds left to play as the Washinton Mystics spoiled the Toronto Tempo’s WNBA debut with a 68-65 victory on Friday.

Austin was then fouled again, making two more free throws with 10 seconds to go to clinch the Mystics win.

Austin and Kiki Iriafen each had a double-double for Washington (1-0) in the season opener for both teams. Austin had 18 points and 11 rebounds. Iriafen had 12 points and 16 boards.

Marina Mabrey led all scorers with 27 points and pulled down seven boards for the expansion Tempo (0-1).

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