Marina Mabrey of Toronto Tempo scored 53 points in a 125-94 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday night, tying the WNBA single-game scoring record held by A’ja Wilson and Liz Cambage, according to league sources.
Mabrey made nine three-pointers and scored 27 points by halftime. She added 12 more in the third quarter, reaching 39 points and prompting the team to feed her in hopes of setting a new record. Mabrey ultimately reached 53 points as the crowd cheered her on during the final minutes.
The game set a franchise record for points scored in regulation, surpassing the 127 points scored by the Phoenix Mercury in a 2010 double-overtime game, according to league statistics. Mabrey’s teammates and the crowd gave her a standing ovation as she checked out with just over a minute remaining.
Mabrey’s sister, Michaela, who played alongside her at Notre Dame, was in attendance. She ran onto the floor after the game to embrace Mabrey in a heartfelt moment, which Mabrey described as very special since her sister doesn’t often get to see her play.
“None of this happens without my teammates,” Mabrey said in a post-game interview. “They really found me. For a three-point shooter, you need your teammates to set screens and deliver the pass, and that’s what they did.”
The Tempo, an expansion team in its first season, assembled its roster through an expansion draft. Mabrey has been a key player, previously setting the franchise record with 37 points last week. She finished with 17 of 28 shooting overall and nine of 18 from three-point range, along with six rebounds and two assists.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
