Austin’s late free throws lift Mystics past Tempo 68–65 in Toronto debut.

TORONTO — Washington Mystics forward Shakira Austin knocked down four clutch free throws in the final 18 seconds Friday night to seal a 68–65 win over the expansion Toronto Tempo, spoiling the franchise’s inaugural game. Austin finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Sonia Citron led Washington with 26 points. Kiki Iriafen added a strong double-double of 12 points and 16 rebounds as the Mystics held off a late Toronto push in front of a sold-out crowd at Scotiabank Arena. Marina Mabrey powered Toronto with 27 points and Brittney Sykes added 14 points, including the first basket in franchise history — a pull-up jumper that briefly set off celebrations from the home crowd. Despite the milestone start, the Tempo struggled to find consistency, shooting just 5-of-25 from three-point range and 17-of-63 overall. The game came down to the final seconds. Sykes missed a potential go-ahead three-pointer with 14 seconds remaining before Austin was fouled twice in the closing moments. She converted all four free throws to secure Washington’s victory, including two that put the Mystics ahead for good with 18 seconds left. Cassandre Prosper opened the scoring with a layup for Washington before Sykes’ historic first basket sparked early energy in the building. The crowd of 8,210 stayed engaged throughout, with fans participating in in-game entertainment, including a fourth-quarter karaoke feature featuring a Shania Twain song. Notable guests included Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley, forward Sandro Mamukelashvili, former NBA champion Serge Ibaka, and Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair. Masai Ujiri, the former Raptors executive and current Toronto Tempo ownership group member, was also in attendance courtside. Despite the loss, the Tempo’s debut offered early flashes of promise, while the Mystics leaned on late execution and free-throw efficiency to escape with a season-opening road win.