Huskies hand Tigers first loss of regular season

(Halifax, N.S.) - The Saint Mary's Huskies defeated the CIS No. 10 Dalhousie Tigers 77-58 Wednesday night from the Homburg Centre in Atlantic University Sport men's basketball action.

The visiting Tigers held a slim 21-20 opening quarter lead, which saw Kashrell Lawrence (Brampton, ON) score 12 of his team high 16 points on the night.

Brain Rouse (Mississauga, ON) nailed a three-pointer 47 seconds into the second for a 23-21 SMU lead. 

Two lay-ups later with Saint Mary's leading 27-21, Jarred Reid (Aurora, ON) hit a three of his own with 8:03 left in the half and Dalhousie trailing 27-24.

A Lawrence lay-up trimmed SMU's lead to one, 27-26 when Jordan Aquino-Serjue (Montreal, QC) put the Tigers in front 28-27 with two foul-shots.

Three SMU baskets in 51 seconds had the Huskies leading 33-28 when a Dal seven point run had the Tigers retaking the lead by two, 35-33 with 3:30 left in the half.

An eight point Saint Mary's run lasting three minutes and thirty-two seconds ended when Lawrence scored the final of his 16 points on the night, a lay-up with three seconds left ended the half trailing SMU by four.

The Huskies outscored the Tigers 21-16 in the frame and led 41-37 at half.

The host Huskies outscored Dal 35-21 in the second half with quarter scores of 19-8 and 17-13.

Aquino-Serjue finished with eight points for Dalhousie and Reid had seven for the Tigers, who drop to 4-1 on the year.

All five Saint Mary's starters finished with double digit points on the night.

Rouse had 16 points, Marquis Clayton (Halifax, NS) and Theon Reefer (Toronto, ON) 13 apiece, while Kemar Alleyne (Scarborough, ON) had 12 and Ottawa's Achuil Lual 10 points.

Rounding out the SMU scoring was Will Fiander (Halifax, NS) with nine points and Aaron Fisher (Savannah, GA) four.

Dalhousie drops to 4-1 and hits the road versus Acadia November 21, and SMU improves to 1-4 and travels to UNB November 27^th -28^th. 

SMU communications, photo Nick Pearce