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Liberty Rally 97-82 Over Toronto After Lynx Loss

7/12/2026

Summary

Liberty Defeat Toronto

New York Liberty defeated Toronto Tempo 97-82 on June 3 in New York.
The victory followed a 90-85 loss to the Minnesota Lynx the day before.
Breanna Stewart contributed 17 points and seven rebounds for the Liberty.
Toronto’s 108-95 loss to Dallas featured Marina Mabrey’s 34 points and rookie Laura Juskaite’s career-best 25 points before a record 20,966 crowd in Montreal.

Summary

Tempo Plays Vancouver

The Tempo, owned by Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson and France Margaret Belanger, fields a roster and staff from nine nations.
President Teresa Resch said the 20,996-fan crowd demonstrates demand for women’s basketball across Canada.
The Tempo will play at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Aug 21 versus Portland Fire and Aug 23 versus Las Vegas Aces.
Center Kayla Alexander signed a seven-day hardship contract, her first WNBA appearance since the 2020 bubble.

History

Historical Context

The WNBA launched in 1996 and began play in 1997 with eight franchises, including the New York Liberty and Houston Comets. That year the Comets captured the inaugural championship, beating the Liberty 65-51 before a sellout crowd of 16,285, proving demand for women’s basketball. The league’s expansions, culminating in the 2026 addition of the Canadian Toronto Tempo, bring the Liberty back to a cross-border schedule.

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Liberty Defeat Toronto

New York Liberty defeated Toronto Tempo 97-82 on June 3 in New York.
The victory followed a 90-85 loss to the Minnesota Lynx the day before.
Breanna Stewart contributed 17 points and seven rebounds for the Liberty.
Toronto’s 108-95 loss to Dallas featured Marina Mabrey’s 34 points and rookie Laura Juskaite’s career-best 25 points before a record 20,966 crowd in Montreal.

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