AROUND OUA: Queen's topples Lancers 75-56 in battle of nationally ranked squads

SCOREBOARD

Queen's 73 @ Windsor 56

Ottawa 45 @ Laurier 40

York 48 @ Western 41

Lakehead 73 @ Toronto 61

Brock 75 @ Nipissing 67

Carleton 66 @ Waterloo 46

Guelph 44 @ Ryerson 87

McMaster 87 @ Laurentian 58

Queen's topples Lancers 75-56 in battle of nationally ranked squads

WINDSOR, Ont. (January 7, 2017)- The Queen's Gaels women's basketball team concluded their road trip to start the New Year with a convincing 73-56 victory over the Windsor Lancers on Saturday evening.

GAME FLOW
Abby Dixon (North Vancouver, B.C.) tallied a game-high 15 points, shooting 4-of-7 from the field and 7-of-10 from the free-throw line. The fourth-year guard added four assists, while Emily Hazlett (Fredericton, N.B.) finished the contest one point shy of a double-double, dropping nine while adding 10 rebounds.

Andrea Priamo (Guelph, Ont.) added eight points, while Robyn Pearson (Toronto) picked up six points and a game-high 11 rebounds for the U Sports No. 5 ranked Gaels (8-0), who hand the nationally No. 7 ranked Lancers (8-2) just their second loss of the season. Kayah Clarke tallied 14 points for the Lancers, who have lost two of their past three matches after beginning the season 7-0. Windsor will maintain its first-place standing atop the OUA West division, while the Gaels hold a slight lead over the No. 6 Ryerson Rams (8-1) for first in the OUA East.

The Gaels held the Lancers, who lead the OUA in team field-goal percentage (41.0%), to a minimal 27.7% (18-65) efficiency, and limited the hosts to single digits in the middle two quarters while shooting 40.7% (22-54) from the field.

The Queen's bench also outscored Windsor's 29-11, and picked up 20 points off of the Lancers 27 turnovers while giving up the ball on 17 occasions for eight Windsor points.

BY THE NUMBERS
15- Abby Dixon's 15 points was a season-high and the second game in which she scored 10 or more points
11- Queen's got at least three points from 11 of its 12 dressed players on Saturday
5- Queen's has now worked at a 40% field-goal efficiency or better in five of its eight conference games

UP NEXT
The Gaels return to the Athletics and Recreation Centre next weekend to battle the Ryerson Rams for first place in the East division on Friday night, and will also host the Toronto Varsity Blues on Saturday. Tip-off for both games is set for 6:00 p.m. and tickets are available at www.gogaelsgo.com/tickets.

Source: Queen's Gaels

Clutch Gee-Gees performance earns win over Laurier

The uOttawa women's basketball team took a bounce-back 45-40 win against Wilfrid Laurier on Saturday night, improving its regular season record to 5-2. uOttawa played strong perimeter defence and stayed in control during a tight finish to the fourth quarter.

"Our girls did a fantastic job on them, so that was really the difference in the game – the defensive end of the floor," said Ottawa head coach Andy Sparks.

The fourth quarter had Laurier's fourth-year Nicole Morrison drawing consecutive fouls to tie the game three separate times. With 30 seconds left in the game Ottawa held a three-point lead coming out of a time out with the ball. Kellie Forand received the inbound, was fouled, and performed under pressure by sinking both free throws, ultimately securing the win for uOttawa. 

Forand was a bright spot throughout the contest, stepping in for the injured starting point guard Julia Soriano and providing excellent defensive pressure. "Kellie did a great job in that position for us," noted Sparks, who commeded Forand for her work late against Morrison. Another key defensive matchup was the work of Jennifer Crowe on Laurier's top scorer, fifth-year Kaitlyn Schenck.

Laurier's Morrison was the game-high scorer with 15 points, while Katherine Lemoine led Ottawa with eight points. 

The game got off to a slow start as the teams were locked in a 2-2 tie for most of the first quarter. Despite the low scoring, the Garnet and Grey came out incredibly aggressive shown through their six consecutive offensive rebounds. 

The Gee-Gees kept the tempo high and maintained their aggressiveness going into the second quarter. Lemoine produced back to back baskets for uOttawa, while Melina Wishart battled through contact to get the bucket. Forand earned a standing ovation from her team after brushing off a hard charge, and the Garnet and Grey led 26-17 at half time.

Laurier tested uOttawa's defence by showing up offensively in the third quarter, knocking down 13 points and ultimately cutting the lead to two heading into the fourth.

The Gee-Gees outrebounded the Hawks 49-44 while the bench contributed 24 points. "It was good for us to respond after last night. It was really nice to see us put the effort in," concluded Sparks.

uOttawa returns home next weekend to play Laurentian University on January 13, and Nipissing University on January 14.

Source: Ottawa Gee-Gees

Lions pick up second win with victory over Mustangs

The York University Lions women's basketball team started the new year off with a bang on Saturday (Jan. 7). The Lions travelled to London, Ont., to square off with the Western Mustangs and left the court victorious by a score of 48-41.
 
The Lions' best basketball came straight out of the gate as they scored 14 points while holding the Mustangs to just seven in the first quarter. Shauney Fischer (Wallaceburg, Ont.) led the charge with an outstanding seven points in the quarter. Her great play in the opening frame pushed her to her best game of the season as she would end the game with a double-double, totalling 20 points and 10 rebounds.
 
In the second quarter both teams offences became somewhat stagnant as York scored only seven while Western scored just four. Katrina Collins-Samuels (Hamilton, Ont.) lead the Lions in the quarter with three points.
 
With the score at 21-11 entering the third quarter the Lions would need to sustain their cushion to close out the game. Both teams offences woke up again as both scored 18 in the quarter. Fischer continued to do damage as she added seven more of her 20 points in the quarter. As each scoring attempt was matched by each team the lead remained the same for the Lions entering the final quarter.
 
In the fourth the Lions remained stout on defence and scored enough baskets to maintain a lead to close out the game. As the final buzzer sounded the scoreboard read 48-41 for the Lions.
 
The Lions' next game will take place on Friday (Jan. 13) when the Toronto Varsity Blues travel to the Tait McKenzie Centre for City of Toronto showdown. The game will be York's first school game and will feature hundreds of local children in attendance. Tip-off is set for 11am.

Source: York Lions

Wolves take down Varsity Blues 73-61

The Lakehead women's basketball team (3-6) came back from a double digit deficit tonight and took down the Toronto Varsity Blues (5-5) in a 73-61 victory.

It was a slow start for the Thunderwolves this evening as the Blues came out on a 7-0 run. Toronto's pushed it to a 10-point game and although Lakehead fought back, they found themselves trailing for the rest of the quarter. Lakehead was down 25-19 by the end of the first.

The Thunderwolves made a push in the second quarter making it a 1-point game, but the Blues made another run giving them the 38-30 lead at the end of the half.

After the blues took a 12-point lead at the beginning of the third, Lakehead flipped the switch and going on a 15-0 run. The 'Wolves outscored the Blues 20-6 and finished the third quarter leading 50-44. Lakehead continued to lead in the fourth quarter and finished the game off winning 73-61.

August Ricketts and Gillian Lavoie were both big in the paint putting up 15 points each. Katelyn Zen played well with 13 points and once again guards Rachel Webber and Jerika Baldin had 12 combined assists.

The 'Wolves will play at home next weekend against Brock University where they will also participate in their Annual Think Pink game to raise money and awareness towards Breast Cancer.

Source: Lakehead Thunderwolves

Badgers down Lakers 75-67

ST. CATHARINES, ON - The Brock University women's basketball team defeated the Nipissing Lakers by the score of 75-67 Saturday night on the road.

Brock opened the game with a 25-6 run and led by 18 after one quarter, In the second quarter, Nipissing answered back putting together a 19-6 run, and trailed the Badgers 37-30 at the half.

The Lakers outscored Brock 17-13 in the third quarter as Brock held onto a three point lead after 30 minutes 50-47.

In the final quarter, Brock jumped out to a 55-49 lead and then got two clutch three-pointers from Melissa Tatti (Ancaster, ON) and Baelie Campbell (Halifax, NS) on route to the seven-point road win.

The Badgers had four starters in double figures led by Kira Cornelissen (Aylmer, ON) who recorded 26 points and nine rebounders. Tatti registered 15 points, six rebounds and six assists while Bridget Atkinson (Welland, ON) and Campbell chipped in with 10 points each.

Leading the Lakers were Michaela Branker and Claire Abbott who added 20 and 16 points respectively in the loss.

The Badgers shot 43.4% (23-for-53) from the field 40.0% (4-for-10) from beyond the arc and 64.1% (25-for-39) from the charity stripe. Nipissing went 23-for-59 (39.0%) from the floor including 2-for-17 (11.8%) from long range and 19-for-26 (73.1%) from the free throw line.

The Badgers return to action January 13th and 14th when they travel to Thunder Bay to take on the Lakehead Thunderwolves in two key OUA Central Division matchups.

Source: Brock Badgers

Ravens move to 6-1 in OUA play with 66-46 victory over Waterloo

WATERLOO, ON — The Carleton Ravens women's basketball team cruised to a 66-46 road win over the Waterloo Warriors on Saturday evening at the PAC Gymnasium, extending its winning streak to six straight OUA regular season games.

BOX SCORE

Ravens forward Heather Lindsay (Ottawa, ON) led the way for a second consecutive outing on the team's road trip to Waterloo, registering 15 points and 10 rebounds to record her fifth double-double of the campaign.

"We started the game off very strong on both ends of the floor," noted Ravens head coach Taffe Charles. "It was nice to get one of our starters – Elizabeth Leblanc – back from injury tonight."

The opening quarter was owned by the visiting Ravens, as Carleton jumped out to a 25-9 lead after one thanks to a torrid offensive pace that the Warriors struggled to contest. The Ravens dropped three consecutive 3-point shots midway through the first to blow the game wide open.

In the second frame, Carleton and Waterloo slugged it out in a defensive battle that saw the Ravens outscore the Warriors by a narrow 13-10 margin. Sophomore guard Alexandra Trivieri (St. Catharines, ON) knocked down her second triple of the game with 01:15 remaining in the quarter and Carleton brought an 18-point advantage into the half.

Up 38-20 after two, the Ravens were unable to increase their lead by much as the Warriors kept in stride with the country's second-ranked team. Having defeated the Ottawa Gee-Gees the previous night, Waterloo sensed an opportunity to ride the wave to another victory, but Carleton remained focused on the defensive end despite an inconsistent performance on offence.

Carleton's Elizabeth Leblanc (London, ON), who sat out the Ravens' win against Laurier yesterday, nailed three jumpers in third quarter as the visitors went ahead by 19 points, 52-33, heading into the fourth.

With victory in reach, Carleton closed out the matchup in final ten minutes to ensure their place at the top of the OUA North division standings.

The Ravens did an excellent job of taking care of the ball, only turning the rock over nine times while dishing out 13 assists. Point guard Jenjen Abella (Hamilton, ON) provided a team-high four helpers in the game.

Elizabeth Leblanc put in a 15-point (5-8 FG), 6-rebound display in 17 minutes of floor time.

Carleton shot 33.8% (22-65 FG) from the field, while Waterloo finished the game at 31.4% (16-51 FG) shooting in the meeting.

Waterloo's top scorer against the Ravens was Aphia Ward with 9 points.

At 6-1 in the regular season, Carleton holds a one-game lead over the Ottawa Gee-Gees (5-2) in the division. The Ravens travel back to the nation's capital for a weekend set against OUA North foes Nipissing (Jan. 13) and Laurentian (Jan. 14) next weekend.

Carleton's upcoming Friday night encounter with the Lakers will serve as the Ravens' annual Shoot for the Cure 'Pink Game', a fundraiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and other charities.

Source: Carleton Ravens

Rams defeat Guelph fo 8th straight win

TORONTO - The No. 6 nationally ranked Ryerson Rams women's basketball team cruised past the Guelph Gryphons to record an 87-44 victory and their eighth straight conference win.

BOXSCORE

Sofia Paska (Etobicoke, Ont.) led the Rams with a double-double, recording game-highs of 16 points and 10 rebounds.  The backcourt duo of Kellie Ring (Ottawa, Ont.) and Cara Tiemens (Newmarket, Ont.) was again instrumental with 12 and 11 points, respectively. First-year forwards Bronwyn Williams and Emma Fraser saw significant minutes, adding 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Ryerson led by just four after the first quarter but took over in the second by out scoring Guelph 22-6. Coach Carly Clarke emptied her bench in the fourth and her troops didn't disappoint, winning the frame 21-8.

Ashley Wheeler recorded a team-high 13 points for the Gryphons, who drop to 1-7 with the loss.

Ryerson improves to 8-1 on the season. The Rams are back in action on next Friday night when they visit the No. 5 and undefeated Queen's Gaels (8-0). That game will be live on OUA.tv starting at 6pm.

Source: Ryerson Rams

Second half surge leads Mac past Laurentian

The McMaster women's basketball team continued their winning ways on Saturday in Sudbury, using a strong effort on both ends of the floor to come away with an 87-58 win against the Laurentian Voyageurs.
 
The Marauders got off to a slow start, but were able to hang around in the first quarter.  By the end of the opening 10 minutes they trailed the home team 16-14
 
In the second quarter McMaster played lockdown defense. The team began knocking down shots and held the Voyageurs to just eight points in the quarter. Going into halftime the Marauders held onto a 29-24 lead.
 
The Marauders began to pull away in the third quarter. After being relatively quiet offensively in first half, the women started scoring at will. A 13-3 run in the quarter allowed McMaster to extend their lead to 12 going into the fourth.
 
In the final stanza the Marauders built on their lead even more. They exploded for 35 points in the quarter, compared to just 18 for Laurentian, to lock up the 29-point victory.
 
It was a full team effort as five Marauders scored in double-figures. Danielle Boiago and Vanessa Pickard led McMaster in scoring with 14 each. Lexie Spadafora provided some scoring off the bench as well scoring 10 of her own.
 
The Marauders were able to score 36 points off of 25 Laurentian turnovers, compared to just four points scored off of turnovers by the Voyageurs.
 
The Marauders will get ready for their next game at McMaster on Wednesday evening against the Laurier Golden Hawks with tip-off at 6-pm.
 
The game can be streamed online on oua.tv and is on radio at CFMU 93.3 FM.

Source: McMaster Marauders