The Seattle Storm pulled away in the second half of Wednesday's matchup against the Toronto Tempo, beating the 2026 expansion side 90-78 behind a balanced scoring attack led by Jade Melbourne and Flau'jae Johnson.
Late Surge Secures Seattle's Tempo vs Storm Win
Melbourne finished with 16 points, six rebounds, and a game-high seven assists, while Johnson added 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Together, the two guards fueled a decisive stretch that swung the Tempo vs Storm matchup for good. Seattle closed the third quarter on an 11-4 run, then opened the fourth with a 9-2 burst that pushed the lead to double digits.
But the Tempo kept pushing back. Kiki Rice poured in a season-high 24 points, going 11-for-11 from the free throw line, and Isabelle Harrison posted 17 points and 14 rebounds.
Toronto was shorthanded without Marina Mabrey, Brittney Sykes, Aneesah Morrow, and Nyara Sabally, who are all on the Tempo's injury list. That depth gap showed in the score line, as Seattle's bench outshot Toronto's 30-11.
Dominique Malonga chipped in 18 points and 7 boards for the Storm, who also forced 17 turnovers and converted them into 25 points. For Johnson, it was her second straight 20-point outing. Both performances served as a promising sign for the rookie class anchoring Seattle's rebuild.
