Tempo undone by Stewart, Liberty in home finale

Breanna Stewart scored a game-high 27 points with eight rebounds and four assists in the New York Liberty’s 106-69 win against the expansion Toronto Tempo on Sunday.

The defeat did not appear to dampen the supportive mood in the Tempo’s final home game of its debut WNBA season before another capacity crowd of 8,200 at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

Stewart steered the United States to its fifth world championship title in Berlin last weekend and was named tournament MVP. She only played 22 minutes against Toronto.

Centre Jonquel Jones chipped in 11 points for the Liberty (26-16), winners of three straight.

Forward Laura Juskaite led the way for the Tempo with a career-high 28 points, followed by rookie Kiki Rice with 19.

The Tempo (11-31) was once again without its top offensive players, Brittney Sykes (left foot) and Marina Mabrey (right adductor), as Toronto dropped its sixth straight and 18th in 19 outings.

The first-year Tempo enjoyed a promising 7-5 start, but then hit a wall, first with the veteran Sykes sidelined. Mabrey, who sits fifth in WNBA scoring with 20.8 points per game, was knocked out of action last month.

Tempo: The home side had no answer for Stewart early in the third quarter as she made four driving buckets during a 14-6 run over the opening 3:31.

Liberty: Former Australian national-team member Rebecca Allen checked in with 14 points against Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello, who also coaches Australia.

The Tempo closed to within four points in the second quarter, but Stewart and Pauline Astier hit field goals in the final minute for an eight-point halftime advantage.

The Tempo finished 4-17 at home, including two games in Montreal and two in Vancouver. Only the Connecticut Sun (three) and Seattle Storm (two) have fewer home victories.