Kiki Iriafen helps lead Mystics past short-handed Tempo

Head coach Sandy Brondello nodded in sad agreement as Toronto Tempo guard Julie Allemand vented about their team's injury woes.

Allemand led Toronto with 15 points and five rebounds as the Tempo fell to the Washington Mystics 79-62 on Tuesday. It was Toronto's lowest points total in its inaugural season as the team tried to soldier on without Brittney Sykes, Kiki Rice and Temi Fagbenle.

"We miss them on the court, and we can't wait for them to be back because, I think since the beginning of the season, I'm wondering if we had one game with the full roster," said Allemand, sitting at the post-game podium with Brondello and forward Nyara Sabally. "This is insane, and this is sad also because, like, imagine if we have the full roster. It would be great.

"We just focus game by game, day by day, and we can't wait for them to come back."

Allemand was correct that Toronto has yet to have its full roster in its first-ever WNBA season.

Sabally missed three games with a right hamstring injury earlier in the season then Rice went down with a left ankle sprain on June 3. Sykes has been out since June 16 with left plantar fascia and Fagbenle has been in the league's concussion protocol since June 27.

"It's not easy, of course," said Allemand. "It's not easy, but it's been weeks now, even months, I think."

Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin each had a double-double in the Mystics' (12-10) victory. Iriafen had 25 points, 13 in the second half, and 14 rebounds as Washington surged ahead in the third quarter. Austin added 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Sabally came off the Tempo (10-14) bench for 13 points and four rebounds. Isabelle Harrison and all-star guard Marina Mabrey had eight points apiece. Toronto's previous scoring low was a 68-65