Meghan Townsley previews Wednesday’s WNBA matchup between the Connecticut Sun and Toronto Tempo and provides her best pick.
The Cup continues! Wednesday’s WNBA Commissioner’s Cup slate opens with two teams trending in very different directions. The Sun have struggled to find consistency and operate as a cohesive unit this season, winning just two of their first 13 games. Meanwhile, the Tempo have enjoyed a strong start to their inaugural campaign, posting a winning record through the first month of play.
Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET, with Toronto entering as 7.5-point favorites and the total sitting at 167.5 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Let’s get into it!
Playing a season with a young roster that knows its team is moving to Houston in 2027 doesn’t exactly set the stage for a promising campaign. However, the Sun continue to battle despite managing just two wins so far. Aneesah Morrow totaled 28 points and 30 rebounds over her last two games but will miss tonight’s contest due to a leg injury. Veteran Brittney Griner has been on a roller coaster this season, appearing in only six of the team’s 13 games. While she’s technically leading the Sun in scoring at 12.8 points per game, her inconsistent availability hasn’t helped a young roster build much chemistry. In fact, Connecticut ranks last in offensive rating (94.7) and has allowed the most points per game to opponents over its last three contests (88.3).
Plain and simple, Connecticut doesn’t look like a team built to compete in 2026. That said, there is still plenty of value in watching the development of the team’s young talent. Rookie Leïla Lacan, who has appeared in just four games, has already shown an impressive ability to read the floor and deliver accurate passes while contributing as a scorer. While her three-point shot hasn’t been falling — she’s shooting just 15.8% from deep — Lacan hasn’t been afraid to stay aggressive offensively and should continue to improve as she gains experience.
The Tempo, on the other hand, have been playing some of their best basketball lately, winning three of their last four games while averaging 88.5 points per game during that stretch, the fourth-best mark in the league. Veterans Brittney Sykes and Marina Mabrey continue to prove they were essential additions in the expansion draft. Sykes is leading the charge with 20.1 points per game and 1.5 steals, while Mabrey adds 17.6 points and 3.8 assists per contest. Nyara Sabally is also off to an impressive start to her fourth season in the W, providing valuable depth with 12.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
With plenty of offensive talent, the Tempo have been able to outscore opponents consistently, a necessity given that they currently rank 12th in defensive rating. Unfortunately, rookie Kiki Rice, who had been on a red-hot stretch, will miss her second straight game after suffering a Grade 2 ankle sprain against the Liberty last Wednesday. Even without Rice, Toronto has enough scoring firepower to get past a struggling Sun team while the young guard recovers. Still, the future remains incredibly bright for Rice and a Tempo franchise that appears to have found a cornerstone piece.
The Sun, plain and simple, don’t have the talent to keep up with a Tempo team built around proven veteran scorers like Brittney Sykes and Marina Mabrey. Toronto has far more offensive firepower and enters the matchup playing much better basketball, so I don’t expect this one to be particularly close tonight.
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