Advertise on podcast: Set The Tempo

The inaugural Toronto Tempo season is in the books. Now it’s time to hand out the report cards. In the first offseason episode of Set The Tempo, Tyler Conium grades the 2026 Toronto Tempo as a team and every player who finished the season on the roster, breaking down the highs, disappointments, surprises and biggest building blocks heading into year two. Pasted text Toronto finished 11-33, but an expansion season defined by injuries, travel and adversity still produced a legitimate core, a first-ever All-Star and one of the most promising rookies in the WNBA. Tyler gives the team an overall B-, weighing the difficult record against the circumstances and the foundation Toronto established. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesqueezes.substack.com

That’s a wrap on year one. The Toronto Tempo’s inaugural WNBA season is officially over following their final game against the Connecticut Sun — and despite the difficult ending, Toronto walks into the offseason with plenty to be excited about. Pasted text In this episode of Set The Tempo, Tyler Conium breaks down the season finale, a career-high 28-point performance from rookie Kiki Rice, and what the result means for Toronto’s chances of landing the No. 1 pick in the 2027 WNBA Draft. Toronto finishes tied with Connecticut for the best odds in the draft lottery at 29.5%, giving the Tempo a legitimate shot at potentially adding an elite prospect to a young core already featuring Rice, Marina Mabrey, Brittney Sykes, Aneesah Morrow and Nyara Sabally. But this episode is also about taking stock of year one: the historic moments, the injuries, the breakout performances, the connection Toronto has built with its new WNBA team — and why year two could look very different. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesqueezes.substack.com

It all comes down to one game. In this episode of Set The Tempo, Tyler Conium reacts to the Toronto Tempo’s 97-85 loss to the Chicago Sky, setting up a fascinating finale against the Connecticut Sun with major WNBA Draft Lottery implications. Toronto was tied at halftime before another damaging quarter changed the game. This time it was a 28-11 third quarter, continuing a season-long pattern of one bad stretch undoing otherwise competitive performances. There were still positives. Izzy Harrison posted 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Laura Yuskaitė continued her breakout finish with 20 points. But now the focus shifts entirely to Connecticut. If the Sun beat Toronto in the final game, the two teams would finish tied for the best odds in the WNBA Draft Lottery. If Toronto wins, the Tempo would finish with the second-best odds. One game. One final postgame show. And potentially a major swing in the future of the franchise. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesqueezes.substack.com

That is a wrap on the Toronto Tempo’s inaugural home schedule — and unfortunately, it ended with one of their ugliest losses of the season. In this episode of Set The Tempo, Tyler Conium reacts to Toronto’s 106-69 loss to the New York Liberty at Coca-Cola Coliseum. The Liberty dominated offensively behind Breanna Stewart’s 27 points, while Toronto struggled badly from the field and from three. The biggest bright spot was Laura Yuskaitė, who delivered a career-high 28 points, while Kiki Rice added 19 points and 5 assists. Toronto is now 11-31, has lost six straight and 18 of its last 19 games, with only two contests remaining in the inaugural season. At this point, the focus is squarely on development, the future core, and the WNBA Draft Lottery. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesqueezes.substack.com

Welcome back, Tempo fans. The WNBA is back — and the Toronto Tempo have only three games left in their inaugural season. In this episode of Set The Tempo, Tyler Conium reacts to Toronto’s 103-85 loss to the Indiana Fever following the extended FIBA break. The final score looks lopsided, but Toronto stayed competitive for three quarters despite playing without Marina Mabrey, Brittney Sykes, Aneesah Morrow, Nyara Sabally and Maria Conde. The game finally got away from the Tempo in the fourth. Meanwhile, Kelsey Mitchell made WNBA history, Caitlin Clark produced a monster performance, Kiki Rice continued to show why she is one of Toronto’s most important building blocks, and the race for the best odds in the 2027 WNBA Draft Lottery became even more interesting. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesqueezes.substack.com

The Toronto Tempo are simply trying to survive. In this episode of Set The Tempo, Tyler Conium reacts to Toronto’s 93-73 loss to the Las Vegas Aces, the second-last game before the WNBA’s two-week FIBA break. The result was not pretty, but the context matters: Toronto was without six regular players due to injuries and FIBA departures, including Marina Mabrey, Brittney Sykes, Aneesah Morrow, Nyara Sabally, Julie Allemand and Maria Conde. That is essentially an entire starting lineup missing against one of the best teams in the WNBA. Still, there were a few positives, including another strong night from Laura Yuskaitė, a solid showing from Kiana Williams on an emergency deal, and a balanced minute distribution as the Tempo try to get through the back-to-back before the break. 📅 Next Game: Toronto Tempo at Phoenix Mercury🎧 New episodes after EVERY Tempo game and during the FIBA break 📲 Follow @TylerConium🇨🇦 The roster is depleted, the schedule is brutal, but the Tempo keep battling Let’s Set The Tempo. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesqueezes.substack.com

This might be the best-case scenario for the Toronto Tempo down the stretch. In this episode of Set The Tempo, Tyler Conium reacts to Toronto’s 90-78 loss to the Seattle Storm, their second straight defeat after snapping a 12-game losing streak in Vancouver. But this loss came with one massive positive: Kiki Rice set a new career high with 24 points, adding 5 assists, 3 rebounds and a steal in one of the most encouraging performances of her rookie season. With Brittney Sykes, Marina Mabrey, Aneesah Morrow, Nyara Sabally and Julie Allemand all unavailable or leaving for FIBA duty, the Tempo are running out a heavily depleted roster. Still, Rice, Izzy Harrison and Laura Yuskaitė gave fans exactly what they should want to see late in the season: development, production and competitive effort — while Toronto’s draft lottery positioning remains strong. 🚨 In this episode: 📉 Tempo Fall to Seattle * Toronto loses 90-78 to the Storm * Tempo have lost two straight after beating Portland * Seattle improves to 8-31 * Toronto continues to sit near the top of the WNBA Draft Lottery picture 📅 Next Game: Toronto Tempo at Las Vegas Aces🎧 New episodes after EVERY Tempo game and during the FIBA break 📲 Follow @TylerConium🇨🇦 Kiki Rice looks like the future — and the draft lottery watch is officially on Let’s Set The Tempo. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesqueezes.substack.com

The winning streak is over — and the injury list somehow got worse. In this episode of Set The Tempo, Tyler Conium reacts to the Toronto Tempo’s 88-78 loss to the Las Vegas Aces in Vancouver, a competitive 10-point defeat against the defending champions and one of the greatest players in WNBA history, A’ja Wilson. All things considered, Toronto battled. But the bigger story is the devastating injury update: Brittney Sykes and Aneesah Morrow will miss the remainder of the season, while Marina Mabrey’s return remains uncertain and Julie Allemand left this game with a possible concussion. With seven games left, the Tempo are simply trying to survive the season — while still playing hard under Sandy Brondello and looking ahead to the WNBA Draft Lottery. 📅 Next Game: Toronto Tempo at Seattle Storm🎧 New episodes after EVERY Tempo game 📲 Follow @TylerConium🇨🇦 The season is brutal, but the Tempo are still playing hard Let’s Set The Tempo. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesqueezes.substack.com

The streak is over. In this episode of Set The Tempo, Tyler Conium reacts to the Toronto Tempo’s 82-79 win over the Portland Fire in Vancouver, snapping a painful 12-game losing streak and giving the franchise its first victory in roughly six weeks. Toronto was shorthanded again — and got even more banged up during the game — but still found a way to beat its expansion counterpart behind a massive performance from Izzy Harrison, another strong night from Kiki Rice, and a resilient effort from a roster missing multiple key pieces. But because this is the 2026 Tempo season, there is always a catch: Brittney Sykes left after just 1:31 with a foot injury, while Aneesah Morrow exited after 7:10 with a knee injury. A win, yes. But another stressful night on the injury front. 🚨 In this episode: 🎉 Losing Streak Is Over * Toronto beats Portland 82-79 * Tempo improve to 11-25 * 12-game losing streak finally ends * First win in roughly six weeks * Huge moment for the team and fans in Vancouver 💪 Izzy Harrison Leads the Way * 25 points * 10 rebounds * 9-of-10 from the free throw line * Two massive late free throws to help seal the win * One of her best games of the season 👀 Kiki Rice Keeps Growing * 19 points * 4 assists 🏥 Injuries Strike Again * Brittney Sykes leaves after 1:31 with a foot injury * Aneesah Morrow leaves after 7:10 with a knee injury 🧱 Shorthanded Win Toronto essentially played most of the game without: * Marina Mabrey * Brittney Sykes * Aneesah Morrow * Maria Conde * Nyara Sabally And still found a way to win. 📈 Other Tempo Contributors * Laura Yuskaitė: 15 points, 7 rebounds * Julie Allemand: 5 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks 🇨🇦 Bridget Carleton Leads Portland * Carleton scores 18 points * Adds 4 rebounds and 2 assists 📊 How Toronto Won * Down 24-16 after the first quarter * Responded with 28 points in the second 🎰 Draft Lottery Still Matters * Win does not dramatically change Toronto’s lottery position * Tempo still likely locked into the second-best odds ⏳ Next Up: Las Vegas Aces in Vancouver * Tempo stay in Vancouver * A’ja Wilson and the Aces come next 📅 Next Game: Toronto Tempo vs Las Vegas Aces in Vancouver🎧 New episodes after EVERY Tempo game 📲 Follow @TylerConium🇨🇦 The streak is over — now the injury watch continues Let’s Set The Tempo. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesqueezes.substack.com

The Toronto Tempo’s inaugural season will not include playoff basketball. In this episode of Set The Tempo, Tyler Conium steps away from the usual postgame format for a full state of the franchise episode after the Tempo were officially eliminated from playoff contention following their loss to the Washington Mystics. Toronto sits at 10-25, the third-worst record in the WNBA, after once hovering around .500 earlier in the season. But this season has never been easy to evaluate because the Tempo have dealt with injuries all year long, never once having a clean injury report. Tyler breaks down what went wrong, what still went right, who is part of the future core, and why the 2027 WNBA Draft Lottery could completely change the direction of this franchise. 🚨 In this episode: 📉 Tempo Eliminated From Playoff Contention * Toronto officially eliminated after the Washington Mystics loss * Tempo fall to 10-25 * First time in Sandy Brondello’s coaching career missing the playoffs * A season that once had playoff hope now shifts to development and draft talk * ⭐ 2027 WNBA Draft Names to Know * JuJu Watkins, USC * Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame * Madison Booker, Texas Tyler breaks down why any of those three could instantly change the future of the Toronto Tempo. 🇨🇦 WNBA in Canada * Tempo have played across Toronto, Montreal and now Vancouver * The franchise continues spreading the WNBA across Canada * Even without playoffs, the first season still matters for building the fanbase 📅 Next Game: Toronto Tempo vs Portland Fire in Vancouver🎧 New episodes after EVERY Tempo game and major Tempo news 📲 Follow @TylerConium🇨🇦 The playoffs are gone, but the future of the Toronto Tempo is getting fascinating Let’s Set The Tempo. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesqueezes.substack.com

That one was right there. In this episode of Set The Tempo, Tyler Conium reacts to the Toronto Tempo’s 101-95 loss to the Indiana Fever at Scotiabank Arena — a game that delivered plenty of moral victories, even if the losing streak continues. The Tempo nearly pulled off the upset against one of the WNBA’s hottest teams, powered by Marina Mabrey’s 22 points, the long-awaited return of Brittney Sykes, and a massive home debut from Aneesah Morrow, who finished with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Toronto still dug itself an early hole with another rough first quarter, but the fight, energy and late-game push were all major positives — especially with Julie Allemand, Maria Conde and Nyara Sabally out of the lineup. 🚨 In this episode: 💔 Tempo Fall Just Short * Toronto loses 101-95 to Indiana * Tempo nearly complete a late comeback * Scotiabank Arena gets a strong, competitive game * Another loss, but one with more positives than negatives 🙌 Brittney Sykes Returns * Sykes plays for the first time since her foot injury * 15 points 🧱 Aneesah Morrow Owns the Glass * 14 points * 16 rebounds * 7 offensive rebound 🔥 Marina Mabrey Keeps Cooking * 22 points * Hit back-to-back threes in the third quarter 👀 Kiki Rice Holds Her Own * 10 points * 6 assists 💪 Frontcourt Steps Up * Temi Fagbenle scores 13 on 5-of-6 shooting * Izzy Harrison adds 8 points and 7 rebounds 📉 One Bad Quarter Again * Indiana starts 13-4 * Fever score 33 points in the first quarter 🌟 Kelsey Mitchell Sets the Tone * 29 points in just 24 minutes * Sets a record with 20 straight games of 20+ points 🏀 Caitlin Clark, Fever & the Big Crowd * Clark finishes with 24 points and 7 assists 🐢🐇 Tempo Mascots Revealed * Toronto finally announces two mascots * Dot: an Arctic hare * Dez: a snapping turtle from Muskoka ⏳ Next Up: Washington Mystics * Quick turnaround on the road 📅 Next Game: Toronto Tempo at Washington Mystics🎧 New episodes after EVERY Tempo game 📲 Follow @TylerConium🇨🇦 Sykes is back, Morrow is rebounding, and the Tempo finally gave fans something to cheer about Let’s Set The Tempo. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesqueezes.substack.com

That was the one. In this episode of Set The Tempo, Tyler Conium reacts to the Toronto Tempo’s 94-88 loss to the Dallas Wings, a game that felt like it could finally break the losing streak — until it slipped away late. Toronto has now lost 10 straight games, but this was one of the more competitive losses of the recent stretch. The Tempo fought back after a rough first quarter, got strong offensive contributions from Marina Mabrey, Laura Yuskaitė and Kia Nurse, and kept Dallas within reach despite being without Julie Allemand and Maria Conde. But the biggest concern came late: Kiki Rice left with a left ankle injury. The good news? It did not appear as serious as her previous ankle injury, and she returned to the bench. 🚨 In this episode: 💔 Tempo Lose 10th Straight * Toronto falls 94-88 in Dallas * Losing streak reaches 10 games * Tempo drop to 10-23 * Game was there for the taking before Dallas closed it out 😬 Kiki Rice Injury Scare * Rice leaves with a left ankle injury * Did not return to the game 🌟 Paige Bueckers Takes Over * Scoreless at halftime * Finishes with 22 points 🔥 Marina Mabrey Keeps Attacking * Found her shooting stroke again * Got to the free throw line seven times 💪 Tempo Bright Spots * Laura Yuskaitė scores 18 and adds 7 rebounds * Izzy Harrison grabs 10 rebounds in the start 📉 One Quarter Hurts Again * Toronto loses the first quarter 27-17 * Tempo won the second and fourth quarters 🚨 Turnovers & Free Throws * Toronto commits 16 turnovers * Dallas commits only 9 🧩 Aneesah Morrow Minutes Watch * Morrow plays 21 minutes * Tyler wonders if she is still dealing with something physically ⏳ Next Up: Indiana Fever at Scotiabank * Toronto gets five days off * Fever come to Scotiabank Arena 📅 Next Game: Toronto Tempo vs Indiana Fever at Scotiabank Arena🎧 New episodes after EVERY Tempo game 📲 Follow @TylerConium🇨🇦 The streak continues — but Toronto finally has a game to build from Let’s Set The Tempo. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesqueezes.substack.com

The losing streak hits nine, but this one had more positives than the last few. In this episode of Set The Tempo, Tyler Conium reacts to Toronto’s 107-95 loss to the Atlanta Dream, as the Tempo fall to 10-22 and Atlanta completes the season-series sweep. Toronto showed real offensive life behind a huge 36-point performance from Marina Mabrey, a strong all-around game from Kiki Rice, and another double-double from Nyara Sabally. But the defense was once again the issue, with Atlanta scoring 107 points and getting 20-plus from Angel Reese, Jordin Canada and Rhyne Howard. With the playoffs essentially gone, Tyler looks at what matters most down the stretch: getting healthy, seeing the future core together, and finally getting Brittney Sykes back on the floor. 🚨 In this episode: 😬 Tempo Lose 9th Straight * Toronto falls 107-95 to Atlanta * Tempo drop to 10-22 * Atlanta sweeps the season series * Toronto has now lost nine straight games 🔥 Marina Mabrey Bounces Back * 36 points * 12-of-19 from the field * 7-of-13 from three * 5 free throw attempts * Looked healthier after two rough games 👀 Kiki Rice Looks Like Kiki Again * 18 points * 5 rebounds * 6 assists * 7-of-11 shooting * Played 30 minutes * Starting to round back into form after the ankle injury 💪 Nyara Sabally Double-Double * 12 points * 12 rebounds * 3 assists * 4 steals * Showing the version of Sabally Toronto hoped to see consistently 📉 Defense Costs Toronto Again * Atlanta scores 107 points * Sandy Brondello: 95 points should usually be enough to win * Poor energy and poor transition defense * Tempo could not contain Atlanta’s top scorers 🧱 Second Quarter Swing * Toronto trailed by only two after the first * Atlanta wins the second quarter 30-17 * Tempo won the third and fourth quarters, but the second quarter created the gap * Another game decided by one disastrous stretch 🏥 Brittney Sykes Update * Sykes has been out since June 16 * Missed nearly two months with a plantar fascia injury * Has progressed to half-court practice * No official return date yet, but Tyler believes she will be back this season 🧩 Future Core Watch Tyler wants to finally see this group healthy together: * Kiki Rice * Marina Mabrey * Brittney Sykes * Aneesah Morrow * Nyara Sabally That lineup may tell Toronto more than lottery positioning alone. 🧠 Draft Lottery vs Health * Toronto remains near the top of the WNBA lottery picture * JuJu Watkins, Hannah Hidalgo and Madison Booker remain the big draft names * Tyler would rather see the Tempo healthy than chase losses * Even falling out of the top three still leaves lottery upside ⏳ Next Up: Dallas Wings * Toronto faces Dallas tomorrow * A loss would make it 10 straight * Last matchup with Dallas went down to the wire * Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd remain must-watch players 📅 Next Game: Toronto Tempo vs Dallas Wings🎧 New episodes after EVERY Tempo game 📲 Follow @TylerConium🇨🇦 The streak is ugly, but the future core is finally getting closer Let’s Set The Tempo. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesqueezes.substack.com

It is getting ugly in the Big Smoke. In this episode of Set The Tempo, Tyler Conium reacts to the Toronto Tempo’s 97-83 loss to the Portland Fire, their eighth straight defeat and 12th loss in the last 13 games. Unlike many recent losses, this one cannot simply be blamed on injuries. Brittney Sykes was the only Tempo player listed on the injury report, but Toronto still came out flat, turned the ball over, struggled defensively, missed free throws, and spent much of the night trailing by 20 or more. With just 13 games left in the inaugural season, the conversation is shifting from playoff hope to effort, development, roster evaluation, and what Toronto needs to learn before year two. 🚨 In this episode: 😬 Tempo Lose 8th Straight * Toronto falls 97-83 to Portland * Tempo drop to 10-21 * Toronto has lost 12 of its last 13 games * Portland wins the expansion-team battle 🚨 Effort Becomes the Story * Tyler says this was one of the first games where the Tempo simply did not look engaged * Julie Allemand called the team “passive” after the game 📉 Turnovers & Shooting Problems Continue * Toronto commits 17 turnovers * Tempo shoot 9-of-31 from three 😕 Marina Mabrey Struggles Again * 9 points * 3-of-9 from the field * 3-of-8 from three 🧠 Julie Allemand Plays Well * 11 points * 12 assists 💪 Aneesah Morrow Brings Rebounding * 11 points * 8 rebounds 🔁 Development Mode Has Arrived * Toronto is no longer realistically playing for the playoffs ⏳ Next Up: Atlanta Dream * Toronto gets three days off 📅 Next Game: Toronto Tempo at Atlanta Dream🎧 New episodes after EVERY Tempo game 📲 Follow @TylerConium🇨🇦 The season is not over — but the focus has changed Let’s Set The Tempo. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesqueezes.substack.com

No cold open needed for this one. In this episode of Set The Tempo, Tyler Conium reacts to the Toronto Tempo’s 92-81 loss to the Golden State Valkyries, their seventh straight defeat and second straight loss to Golden State. It was not all bad — Aneesah Morrow made her Toronto Tempo debut, Nyara Sabally led the way with 21 points, and Maria Conde bounced back from deep — but the same issues showed up again: fourth-quarter fatigue, rebounding problems, turnovers, and an offense that still cannot sustain itself for 40 minutes. With Toronto now 10 games under .500 and 14 games left, the conversation shifts from chasing the playoffs to evaluating the roster, developing the young pieces, and figuring out who belongs in the Tempo’s future core. 🚨 In this episode: 😬 Tempo Lose 7th Straight * Toronto falls 92-81 to Golden State * Seventh straight loss * Tempo have now lost 11 of their last 12 games * Second straight loss to the Valkyries 👀 Aneesah Morrow Debuts * Morrow plays 16 minutes off the bench * Scores 8 points 🔥 Nyara Sabally Leads Toronto * 21 points * 6 rebounds 📈 Maria Conde Bounces Back * 5-of-10 from three * Strong response after a rough shooting game last time out 😕 Marina Mabrey Returns, But Looks Rusty * First game back from neck injury * 12 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds 🧠 Julie Allemand Does the Little Things * 7 points * 8 assists * 4 steals 📉 Same Problems Again * Golden State closes the first half on a 16-4 run * Toronto gets out-rebounded by 13 🌟 Janelle Salaün Keeps Burning Toronto * 21 points off the bench * 61 total points in three games vs the Tempo this season 🔁 Development Over Tanking * Tyler clarifies what “talking tank” means * Not benching everyone or giving up ⏳ Next Up: Portland Fire * Toronto faces the Portland Fire next * Portland beat Toronto 99-80 earlier this season 📅 Next Game: Toronto Tempo vs Portland Fire🎧 New episodes after EVERY Tempo game 📲 Follow @TylerConium🇨🇦 The wins are gone for now — but the future evaluation starts now Let’s Set The Tempo. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesqueezes.substack.com