Marina Mabrey dropped a career-high 53 points and matched the WNBA single-game scoring record to help the Toronto Tempo beat the Los Angeles Sparks 125-97 in a regular-season game on Thursday night at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, Canada.
Mabrey shot 17 of 28 from the field, including 9 of 18 from the 3-point line and 10 of 12 from the free-throw line, as the Notre Dame alumnae tied the mark set by Liz Cambage for Dallas against New York on July 17, 2018, and A’ja Wilson for Las Vegas at Atlanta on August 22, 2023.
It was the second time this season that Mabrey made nine 3-pointers.
She buried nine triples to make a 37-point game in a 101-97 win over Connecticut six days earlier.
Mabrey’s feat placed her in the same company of Atlanta Dream’s Rhyne Howard, who also made nine triples twice last season.
The 6-foot-1 guard also broke the team’s previous individual scoring high at 38 points, twice set by Brittney Sykes.
Mabrey’s sister informed her of scoring record
According to Mabrey, her sister Michaela informed her of the record when she reached 50 points.
She added: “I think tonight was just my night from the 3-point line – and from honestly everywhere.”
“And then the fans, to end up chanting MVP, I don’t know that I ever imagined that. But it was really a good feeling.”
A crowd behind her
Mabrey tried to break the scoring record but her two 3-point attempts misfired, forcing Toronto coach Sandy Brondello to replace her.
Fans briefly booed when Brondello checked her out with a minute left.
They eventually roared into cheers to acknowledge the feat, chanting “We Want Mabrey! We Want Mabrey!” as the clock ticked down to zero.
The Tempo guard also recorded six rebounds and two assists in 34 minutes.
A great game for Toronto
Julie Allemand added 13 points and 14 assists for Toronto in the highest-score game in the team’s short history.
Toronto climbed back to .500 at 9-9 as it opened a nine-game homestand that includes two games at Montreal’s Bell Centre.
Nneka Ogwumike and Dearica Hamby led the Sparks, who fell to 8-9, with 21 points apiece.
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Elan Castanares 
Newsjustnews writers 
Mary Mae Balasanos