Marina Mabrey had a night for the record books.
The former Notre Dame women’s basketball star scored 53 points in a 125-97 win for the WNBA’s Toronto Tempo over the LA Sparks on Thursday, June 25. It tied the single-game WNBA scoring record, as did making nine 3-point shots in the contest.
Mabrey also had six rebounds and two assists, finishing plus-36 on the floor for the Tempo.
The 125 points by Toronto is the most in a regulation game in WNBA history.
“I think (Thursday) was just my night from the 3-point line — and honestly, from everywhere,” said Mabrey in the postgame press conference. “It was all going in.”
The fans broke out an ‘MVP’ chant late in the game to show their appreciation.
“To have them chanting ‘MVP’ — I don’t think I ever imagined that, but it was a really good feeling,” Mabrey said. “And then all my teammates celebrating me every quarter, every play — those are the moments I’m going to remember about this game more than anything.”
Mabrey is putting together an All-Star level season for the Tempo. The 2019 second-round pick is averaging 21.2 points, 3.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. Her previous best offensive average was 15 points per content with the Chicago Sky in 2023.
“It’s not just one thing; it’s so many things,” Mabrey said Thursday night. “Number one, I’ll start with my teammates. When you have teammates that have your back and are literally passing up open layups to pass to you at the three-point line — that’s an elite level of trust that I couldn’t be more grateful for.”
Mabrey had a decorated college career at Notre Dame, appearing in 144 games. She was a starter on the 2018 national championship team and the 2019 squad that finished national runner-up. She set the program’s all-time made 3-pointers record with 274. She is one of seven players with 1,000 career points and 500 career assists in program history (joining Skylar Diggins, Niele Ivey, Lindsay Allen, Karen Robinson, Megan Duffy and Mollie Peirick).
The Tempo are one of the best stories in the WNBA this year. Playing in their inaugural season, they’re 9-9 and currently hold the final playoff spot. The regular season concludes at the end of September, with the playoffs going through October.
Austin Hough is a sports editor within the Center for Community Journalism at USA Today Co., overseeing high school sports and Notre Dame athletics coverage for five Indiana newspapers. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @AustinRHough. Hough can be emailed at ahough@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame alum Marina Mabrey ties WNBA scoring record with Toronto Tempo
Reporting by Austin Hough, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Austin Hough, South Bend Tribune | USA TODAY Network
