Two games on Tuesday's slate, and both were defined by dramatic turnarounds. Connecticut nearly blew a big early lead before Portland mounted a real fourth-quarter threat, and it took a clutch finish from Aaliyah Edwards to close it out. And Washington overcame one of the worst offensive halves of their season to blow the game open in the third quarter against Toronto. Here's how it all went down.

Portland Fire 87, Connecticut Sun 90

Connecticut built a big early lead behind hot shooting, but Portland trailed by nine entering the fourth quarter and refused to fold. The Fire clawed back possession by possession, and Emily Engstler's floating bank shot cut the deficit to a single point with 2:27 remaining, sending a real jolt of urgency through the building. Connecticut had an answer. Aaliyah Edwards scored on the ensuing possession and then calmly knocked down her free throws down the stretch to close the door for good. Final: 90-87, Connecticut.

Brittney Griner was excellent, going 8-of-11 from the field for 20 points at 75.8 percent true shooting with six assists and two blocks. Edwards was the closer, finishing with 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting and eight rebounds, her poise in the final minutes the difference-maker in a game that got uncomfortably tight. Connecticut's 28 assists on 35 made field goals reflected genuinely connected offensive basketball, and their 11 steals kept Portland's transition game in check for most of the night, even as the Fire made things interesting late.

Portland's fourth-quarter push was one of the more impressive stretches of basketball the Fire have played all season. Emily Engstler was outstanding, posting seven assists against just one turnover, three steals, and 14 points, her floating bank shot with 2:27 to go the signature moment of the comeback attempt. Carla Leite added 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting but committed six turnovers, and Megan Gustafson chipped in 15 points. Portland's 26 points off Connecticut's turnovers kept the comeback alive deep into the fourth quarter, but Edwards's composure in the final minutes was enough to hold the Fire off.

CON 90 · POR 87

Washington Mystics 79, Toronto Tempo 62

Washington had one of the worst offensive halves of their season, scoring just 26 total points and trailing Toronto by six at the break. Then everything changed. The Mystics exploded for 26 points in the third quarter alone, flipping a six-point deficit into a comfortable cushion, and cruised the rest of the way behind a dominant defensive effort. Final: 79-62, Washington.

Kiki Iriafen was the driving force, going 9-of-14 from the field for 25 points at 71.3 percent true shooting with 14 rebounds for a double-double, drawing six fouls along the way. Shakira Austin added a double-double of her own with 17 points and 10 rebounds, going 7-of-14 from the field with three blocks. Michaela Onyenwere contributed 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting (2-of-4 from three). Washington's 18 offensive rebounds generated 20 second-chance points, and their third-quarter defensive intensity, which held Toronto to just 13 points in the frame, was the turning point of the entire game.

Toronto simply couldn't find any offense once Washington locked in defensively. The Tempo shot just 35.4 percent from the field and 26.9 percent from three, and their leading scorer, Julie Allemand, managed only 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Marina Mabrey had a rough shooting night, going 3-of-13 for eight points with four turnovers. Nyara Sabally added 13 points but was minus-18. Toronto's zero fast-break points on the night reflected a team that never generated any easy offense once Washington's defense took over in the third quarter.

WAS 79 · TOR 67

Tuesday's two games both featured teams overcoming adversity in very different ways. Connecticut survived a genuine scare from Portland, needing a clutch finish from Aaliyah Edwards after the Fire clawed all the way back to within a point in the final minutes. And Washington's ability to completely reverse their fortunes after one of their worst offensive halves of the season, scoring just 26 points before the break, speaks to real halftime adjustments and a defensive third quarter that changed the entire complexion of the game.

Star of the Night: Aaliyah Edwards, Connecticut Sun

21 points | 9-of-13 FG | 8 rebounds | Clutch bucket and free throws to close out Portland's comeback

Edwards delivered exactly when Connecticut needed her most, scoring the basket that answered Portland's game-tying push and then icing the win from the free throw line down the stretch. Her composure in the final two minutes, in a game that had completely flipped from comfortable to nerve-wracking, is the defining individual performance of the night.

Dud of the Night: Marina Mabrey, Toronto Tempo

8 points | 3-of-13 FG | 23.1% field goal percentage | 4 turnovers | minus-22

Mabrey has been one of Toronto's most reliable scorers, but Tuesday was the opposite. Three-of-thirteen shooting with four turnovers in a game Toronto lost by 17 reflects a night where nothing worked for the Tempo's leading scoring option. In a game where Washington's third-quarter defense swallowed Toronto's offense whole, Mabrey's inability to generate anything from the field was the most visible individual symptom of the collapse.