Reigning champion Ravens set to soar into McMaster for Critelli Cup date with Marauders
BURLINGTON, Ont. – They are moments that never get old – hearing the final buzzer sound, celebrating on the court with teammates, cutting down the mesh from the basket – and for the Carleton Ravens and McMaster Marauders, both will have the opportunity to make those aspirations a reality when they go head-to-head for the Critelli Cup championship.
For more information on the women's basketball championship, visit the 2018 Critelli Cup Fan Guide.
For the visiting Ravens, they’ll look to once again soar to victory on the road to claim their second consecutive – and second overall – Critelli Cup title. After securing the first such victory in program history last year, defeating the Queen’s Gaels in the provincial finale to hoist the cup, Carleton has clearly gained a taste for winning; something they have done all season long to the tune of an undefeated regular season.
Finishing with a neat and tidy 23-0 record, Carleton was able to reach new heights thanks to their adept play on both ends of the floor. Not only did the Ravens rank first in the OUA on offense, pouring in 72.4 points per contest, but they were also the stingiest team on defense; not just in conference, but in the nation. The impeccable 45.6 points per game allowed was far and away the top mark in the country, almost 10 points better than their closest competitor. So for a team to find success against the Ravens, they’ll need to find a chink in their incredibly sturdy armor.
Looking to do just that will be a team that has found similar success atop their respective division, as the McMaster Marauders marched their way to a 20-win campaign, and much like the Ravens, did so behind a talented cast that shines on both ends of the floor.
The Marauders, who are looking for their first provincial banner since the 2007-08 season, sport a top-five offense and defense in the OUA, and are led by First-Team All-Star Hilary Hanaka (Hamilton, Ont.). The fourth-year star settled in with a top-ten mark of 15.1 PPG, helping her Marauders to an average of 71.8 points per game, while surrendering just 57.8 on 33.9% shooting. More than this, however, the maroon and white also crash the boards, shoot the deep ball, and share the rock at top-five rates in the OUA, making them one of the conference’s most dynamic teams to contest with.
Fellow senior Linnaea Harper (Newmarket, Ont.), who also earned an OUA All-Star nod this season, joins Hanaka as the team’s offensive leaders – not to mention her work on the glass – while the young duo of Olivia Wilson (Lion’s Head, Ont.) and All-Rookie Sarah Gates (Newmarket, Ont.) also combined to contribute 20 points per game of their own. On the defensive end, the Marauders don’t boast a true rim-protector, but they do spread the wealth when it comes to disrupting their opposition, as five Mac players secured upwards of one steal per contest en route to their 10.5 SPG average.
Hoping to slice their way through the quick hands of McMaster, meanwhile, is a roster that boasts a trio of all-stars, with the likes of Heather Lindsay (Ottawa, Ont.), Elizabeth Leblanc (London, Ont.), and Catherine Traer (Chelsea, Que.) helping to equip the potent Ravens roster. Each of the above OUA standouts has done their part this season for the No. 1 ranked Ravens, but one of the team’s true catalysts is Leblanc. The OUA’s Defensive Player of the Year is a game-changer on both ends of the floor, and will undoubtedly be a person of interest for the maroon machine with or without the ball.
Not only did this trio spearhead the team’s overall efforts this season, but they also buoyed the Ravens to victory in their one and only matchup with McMaster. In fact, a quartet of double-digit scorers led the way for Carleton on offense and a suffocating team effort on defense held McMaster to just 29% shooting on the night. Erin Burns (Hamilton, Ont.) and Hanaka accounted for nearly half of the Marauders’ offensive output, but it wasn’t enough against their formidable foes, who connected on 10 three-pointers (38.5 3PT% en route to pouring in 81 points for the game.
After that weekend, the Marauders went on to win their remaining 14 regular season games; however, and have played their way up to a No. 4 ranking in the country; suggesting that their next matchup will be scripted with a far more competitive spin. Helping the Marauders to jumpstart their second half surge this year was a number of key factors, including a more steady style of play. The team as a whole reduced their turnovers, committed fewer fouls, and won their battles on the glass, ultimately leading to great successes on both ends of the floor once the calendar turned to 2018.
The Hamilton squad, who will be hosting the women’s basketball final for the first time in 11 years (losing to York in that contest before defeating Toronto the follow year), has continued this strong play into the postseason, as they’ve put together a pair of hard-fought victories against two tough opponents. In their quarterfinal match, the Marauders controlled the purple ponies, defeating the Western Mustangs 61-51, before a pair of late free throws sunk the Ottawa Gee-Gees 47-46 in their defensive-minded semifinal clash, setting up what should be an even bigger test against their fellow division leaders.
Carleton’s quest for the cup has also seen a pair of impressive wins, topping their postseason foes with back-to-back double-digit defeats. In the quarterfinals, Carleton reeled in the Rams with a ferocious fourth quarter that helped them pull away to the 16-point win (82-66), before putting together a complete start-to-finish effort to knock off the Windsor Lancers 61-48 in their semifinal bout.
Both teams, as a result of their respective semifinal victories, have qualified for the U SPORTS Championships next weekend (March 8-11) at the University of Regina, but neither will be looking past their final OUA test. Critelli Cup glory is on the line on Saturday and both teams will come in confident that they can end their quest for the cup on a winning note and secure the 2017-18 title.
