Tossed Shoe Leads to Ejection, Derailed Liberty Rally in Close Loss to Toronto

The New York Liberty suffered a narrow 93-91 loss to Toronto on Sunday, a defeat compounded by a controversial ejection late in the fourth quarter. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton was sent off after her shoe, which had fallen off during play, was tossed back towards her teammate Jonquel Jones but instead struck Tempo player Marina Mabrey in the back.

The unintentional contact with Mabrey resulted in Laney-Hamilton's immediate disqualification. This came at a critical juncture for the Liberty, who were in the midst of a rally and fighting to close the deficit. The absence of a key player during the game's decisive moments undeniably impacted their ability to complete the comeback.

Despite the setback, the Liberty managed to keep the game extremely tight, ultimately losing by just two points. The incident, however, will undoubtedly be a talking point as the team reflects on what might have been had they maintained their full roster in the closing minutes.