Toronto Hit 31 Straight Free Throws: Why That Stat Crushed the Storm's Comeback Hopes

Ugh. Just ripped the heart right out of us, didn't it? The Storm rolled into Toronto yesterday, May 30th, and got absolutely hammered, falling 93-72 to the Tempo. Honestly, it felt worse than the scoreboard. We tied it up in the third, showed a spark, and then just... fizzled. This team is now sitting at a tough 3-6 record, and our struggles from deep are becoming a season-defining problem.

Tempo Rookies Explode, Former Storm Player Haunts Us

You wanna talk about a gut punch? Watching Brittney Sykes, who was just with us last season, drop 15 points against her old team? Brutal. But it wasn't just her. Toronto’s rookies absolutely showed out. Marina Mabrey led the Tempo with 18 points, but it was Kiki Rice, another rookie, who caught fire, scoring 13 of her 17 points in the second half. She even added a season-high four steals, just rubbing salt in the wound! Then there’s Laura Juskaite, yet another rookie, pouring in 14 points, including a career-high four three-pointers. And Maria Conde, keeping up the rookie dominance, notched 13 points, making it her second consecutive game in double figures. These young guns were relentless, and honestly, we just couldn't match their energy.

And let's not even get started on free throws. Toronto wasn't just good, they were historically good. They drained their first 31 free throws in a row, setting a new WNBA record! Teonni Key finally missed back-to-back shots with less than a minute left, but by then, the damage was done. They finished 31 of 33 from the line, hitting an insane 94%. Meanwhile, we only attempted eight free throws all game, making seven. That's a stark contrast, and it tells you a lot about the pace of play and who was controlling the paint.

The Third Quarter Collapse and Our Season-Long Problem

For a brief, glorious moment, it felt like we had a chance. Katie Lou Samuelson hit a short turn-around jumper that tied the game at 51-all with 3:50 left in the third quarter. You could feel the momentum shifting! And then, just like that, it vanished. We committed turnovers on our next three possessions, fueling a massive 19-5 run for Toronto over the next three-plus minutes. That's how fast it can all fall apart. Our defense was scrambling, and the Tempo just took full advantage.

Natisha Hiedeman battled hard, scoring 18 points, and Jordan Horston added a season-high 15 points. Those are solid individual efforts, but it wasn't enough to overcome the team's struggles, especially from beyond the arc. We shot a dismal 7 of 27 from three-point range, a measly 26%. This isn't a fluke, folks. The stats don't lie: the Storm are 3-0 this season when we shoot 38% or better from deep. But when we're 37% or worse? We're a brutal 0-6. This is our Achilles' heel, and teams are exploiting it. Plus, we're still without Dominique Malonga, who missed her sixth consecutive game due to concussion protocol. We need her back out there!

This loss puts us down 0-2 in the season series against Toronto, who handed us our first franchise win back on May 13th, 86-73. We gotta stop this slide, especially with another road game coming up fast. Next up, the Storm play Monday at Dallas. We need to find our rhythm, especially from three, and take care of the ball. Let’s rally behind our squad, Emerald City! We need to come out firing and show them what Seattle basketball is all about. Go Storm!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.