MONTREAL -- Paige Bueckers scored 34 points and the Dallas Wings beat the expansion Toronto Tempo 108-95 on Friday night in front of a WNBA regular-season record crowd of 20,996 at Bell Centre.
The game broke the regular-season mark of 20,711 set in Washington on Sept. 19, 2024, against Indiana. The league's two largest crowds -- both 22,076 -- came in Detroit in the 2003 and 2007 WNBA Finals.
"Being the only team in Canada, it's a responsibility for us and how cool is that," Tempo coach Sandy Brondello said. "We get to be seen all over Canada. We want to make sure we can come out tonight and celebrate the WNBA and celebrate the Tempo with our new fans."
Toronto will face New York in Montreal on Sunday. The Tempo also will play two games in Vancouver, British Columbia.
"I said to the team today what a unique opportunity this is. We're creating firsts. We say we're Canada's team so we're taking the show on the road," Brondello said. "I always say, a fan has to just come and watch one game and they'll fall in love."
Jessica Shepard had 20 points and 17 rebounds to help the Wings (15-8) sweep a four-game trip that also saw them beat the Tempo in Toronto. Arike Ogunbowale also had 20 points, and Azzi Fudd added 13.
Bueckers was 13-of-22 from the field and had six assists and six rebounds.
Marina Mabrey had 34 points for Toronto (9-13), hitting 6-of-9 3-pointers. Laura Juskaite added 25 points. The Tempo have lost four straight.
"It's really special for Canada and for the Toronto Tempo franchise," said Dallas coach Jose Fernandez said. "It just shows the trajectory of where the WNBA is and what the franchise in Toronto is doing for basketball fans in Canada."
The Bell Centre also hosted the largest crowd in Professional Women's Hockey League history, drawing 21,105 for a game between Montreal and Toronto on April 20, 2024.
