A loss on the scoreboard may not have been the worst thing that happened for the Toronto Tempo on Wednesday night.
Standout rookie guard Kiki Rice appeared to suffer a leg injury on a drive to the hoop with less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter of a 97-82 loss against the New York Liberty.
Rice landed awkwardly after her shot was blocked by Jonquel Jones. She immediately grabbed her leg while on the court in pain.
Rice then hobbled off the court and went to the locker room.
After the game, Tempo coach Sandy Brondello said she had no update on Rice.
The expansion team's first-round pick (sixth overall) in this year's WNBA Draft, Rice is averaging 13.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 55.2 per cent from the field.
The five-foot-11 guard won an NCAA championship at UCLA in her senior season earlier this year.
Jones had 22 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Liberty.
Breanna Stewart added 19 points, including 17 in the second half, for the Liberty (6-4), who have won three straight games. New York was still missing guard Sabrina Ionescu, who is sidelined with a back issue. Coach Chris DeMarco said at morning shootaround that his All-Star guard was getting better. She's only played in one game this season.
The game marked the return of former Liberty coach Brondello, who led the franchise to its first WNBA championship in 2024. The Liberty let her go after last season. The franchise's winningest coach received a warm ovation from the crowd when she was introduced before the game.
She's now in charge of the expansion Tempo and has guided them to a strong start. The loss dropped the Tempo (5-5) to .500 and ended a two-game winning streak.
New York trailed 22-17 early in the second quarter before going on a 15-2 run capped by two 3-pointers by Satou Sabally. The first came in transition over her sister Nyara, who was taken by the Tempo from the Liberty in the expansion draft this offseason.
The Liberty led 40-34 at the half as Jones finished the opening 20 minutes with 17 points and 12 rebounds.
They put the game away in the third quarter as Stewart scored nine points after only having two in the first half. New York extended its lead to 70-58 and never looked back.
Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes each scored 17 points to lead the Tempo.
Up next
Tempo: host Chicago Sky on Sunday.
Liberty: host Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Saturday night.
— with files from AP.