By Tiffany Williams –
TORONTO — Let’s not get distracted by the word preseason. Don’t do it. Because what unfolded inside Coca-Cola Coliseum wasn’t meaningless basketball — it was a flashing, undeniable preview of what the Connecticut Sun might actually be.
And it starts with one name: Aneesah Morrow.
Aneesah Morrow didn’t just show up — she imposed herself on this game. Twenty-one points on 7-of-10 shooting. Seven rebounds. Three steals. Efficient. Aggressive. Relentless. That’s not preseason noise. That’s tone-setting production. That’s a player saying, right now, “I’m going to matter.”
The Connecticut Sun walk out of Toronto with an 83-78 win over the Toronto Tempo, and if you’re just glancing at the final score, you’re missing the story. Because this game wasn’t controlled. It wasn’t clean. It wasn’t comfortable.
It was a test.
And the Connecticut Sun passed it — barely, but convincingly enough to say something real.
Let’s talk about the numbers that actually matter.
Connecticut shoots .525 from the field. Toronto? .403.
That’s your game right there.
Because while Toronto Tempo tried to bomb away from deep — 11 made threes at a .355 clip — Connecticut Sun made a decision. They went inside. They dominated the paint. Forty-four points in the paint to Toronto’s twenty-eight.
That’s not a stat. That’s a philosophy.
And right now, Connecticut knows exactly who they are.
But don’t get it twisted — this wasn’t dominance from start to finish. Toronto Tempo controlled this game for stretches. They led for over 23 minutes. They built a 13-point lead at one point. They dictated pace early.
And then the fourth quarter happened.
Twenty-six points from Connecticut Sun. Twelve from Toronto Tempo.
That’s not a comeback — that’s a takeover.
And it tells you everything about this team’s potential identity: they may not control the entire game, but when it matters, they can flip the switch.
Now let’s go player by player where it counts.
Aaliyah Edwards gave you fourteen points on 6-of-8 shooting. Efficient. No wasted motion. Brittney Griner — seven points, five rebounds, presence in the paint, even if the free throw shooting wasn’t there at 1-of-5. Kennedy Burke knocked down three triples, finishing with thirteen points and spacing the floor exactly the way this roster needs.
But here’s where it gets interesting.
Charlisse Leger-Walker. Four assists. Eight points. Controlled minutes. She didn’t force the game — she managed it. And on a night where Connecticut Sun turned the ball over twenty-five times — yes, twenty-five — having someone who can stabilize possessions becomes critical.
Because let’s be very clear: twenty-five turnovers is a problem. Not a small one. A big one.
You don’t survive that against elite competition.
But here’s why Connecticut still won — they turned Toronto’s mistakes into something more damaging. Twenty-seven points off turnovers compared to Toronto’s eighteen.
That’s the difference between sloppy and dangerous.
And right now, Connecticut is both.
Now flip it to Toronto Tempo.
Lexi Held was electric. Twenty-one points. Five three-pointers. Efficient, confident, aggressive. She kept Toronto in this game. She stretched the floor. She forced Connecticut to adjust.
But outside of her?
Inconsistency.
Kia Nurse goes 3-for-11. Dara Mabrey doesn’t score. Nyara Sabally gives you two points. You’re not winning games against a team shooting over fifty percent if your secondary options don’t show up.
And yet — Toronto was right there.
That’s the part Connecticut should be thinking about.
Because despite controlling the paint, despite shooting better, despite winning the rebounding battle 35 to 21 — yes, dominating it — they still needed a fourth-quarter surge to close this out.
That’s not dominance. That’s potential still trying to become reality.
Let’s break the game down the way it actually unfolded.
First quarter — even. Twenty to twenty. Feeling-out process.
Second quarter — Toronto takes control. Twenty-seven to twenty. That’s where they build confidence, build rhythm, start believing they can dictate this game.
Third quarter — still Toronto’s edge. Nineteen to seventeen. Connecticut is hanging around, but not taking over.
Fourth quarter — everything flips. Connecticut Sun 26. Toronto Tempo 12.
That’s the game.
That’s the identity question.
Because teams that can close like that? Those are dangerous teams.
But teams that need to dig out of holes? Those are inconsistent teams.
Right now, Connecticut Sun are sitting somewhere in between.
Now let’s talk about what matters long-term.
Rebounding. Connecticut dominates. Eleven offensive rebounds. Twenty-four defensive rebounds. Total control on the glass.
Second chance points? Fifteen to four.
That’s effort. That’s physicality. That’s want-to.
Fast break points? Thirteen to five.
That’s transition execution.
But then you see the turnover number again. Twenty-five.
And you realize — this team is going to live on a razor’s edge.
Because if they clean that up? If that number drops even slightly?
This becomes a completely different team.
But if it stays?
Then every game becomes a fight like this one.
Now let’s talk about the biggest takeaway — not the win, not the stats, not even the comeback.
It’s this:
Connecticut Sun know how they want to win.
Inside scoring. Physical dominance. Rebounding. Pressure defense.
They are not trying to outshoot you from three. They’re not trying to be flashy. They’re trying to wear you down.
And for one preseason night in Toronto, it worked.
But preseason doesn’t lie — it reveals.
And what this game revealed is simple.
This team has real offensive weapons in Aneesah Morrow and Aaliyah Edwards.
They have interior presence with Brittney Griner.
They have spacing from Kennedy Burke.
They have control elements with Charlisse Leger-Walker.
They have depth — forty-one bench points.
But they also have flaws that will get exposed quickly if not addressed.
Turnovers. Perimeter consistency. Early-game control.
You fix those?
Now you’re talking about something real.
You don’t?
Then you’re going to be living in fourth-quarter comebacks all season long.
And that’s not sustainable.
Final word.
Connecticut Sun leave Toronto 1-0. That’s the headline.
But the real story is this:
They didn’t just win.
They showed exactly who they are — and exactly what they still need to fix.
And if you’re paying attention?
That’s way more important than the scoreboard.