Flau’jae Johnson led scoring with 20 points, supported by Dominique Malonga with 18, as the Seattle Storm triumphed over the undermanned Toronto Tempo 90-78 in their home game on Wednesday night. Jade Melbourne contributed 16 points and seven assists for Seattle (8-31), breaking a streak of 14 losses in 15 games, with Awa Fam and Zia Cooke each adding 10 points.
Toronto faced challenges as their top scorers Marina Mabrey, Brittney Sykes, and Nyara Sabally were sidelined due to injuries. Despite this, rookie Kiki Rice shone with a season-high 24 points for Toronto (11-27), while Isabelle Harrison posted a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds.
Seattle surged in the third quarter with an 11-4 run to secure a 64-61 lead and extended their advantage with a 9-2 start in the fourth quarter, ultimately claiming a 10-point victory.
In the upcoming games, the Tempo will face Las Vegas on Friday night, while the Storm will host Los Angeles on Sunday.