White leads Tigers in loss to REDS

On Saturday, the Dalhousie Tigers fell to the UNB REDS with a final score of 76-50 at Dalplex.

In the first quarter, Dalhousie faced an early challenge with the REDS taking an 8-1 lead by the 6:41 mark. Dalhousie's Melina Collins contributed to closing the gap by scoring a free throw at 9:04, and Sydney Guker-Wickie added a layup with 1:46 remaining to bring the score closer. Simona Matic further narrowed the deficit with a successful jumper at 1:18, and Sarah Valley's layup tied the game at 11-11 with 24 seconds left. However, the REDS responded with a three-pointer to conclude the quarter leading 14-11.

In the second quarter, Dalhousie's Sydney Guker-Wickie opened with a successful layup assisted by Simona Matic, bringing the score to 14-13 in favor of Dalhousie. Despite a series of missed shots, Dalhousie maintained pressure on the boards, with Sophie Carmichael securing several offensive rebounds, although scoring opportunities were limited. Eva Widmeyer contributed with four points towards the end of the quarter, including a layup and jumper, narrowing the gap to 26-20 before the REDS extended their lead. The quarter ended with Dalhousie trailing 34-25, as they continued to show resilience with strong rebounding efforts.

In the third quarter, Dalhousie scored 16 points with contributions from several players. Eva Widmeyer started the quarter by making two free throws at 9:24, reducing the deficit. Sydney Guker-Wickie and Mercy Olugu added to the score with successful layups, and Madelyn White hit two 3-pointers at 4:12 and 1:32, respectively, to keep the team competitive. Simona Matic assisted on multiple plays and added a layup at 1:08. Despite these efforts, Dalhousie's 16 points in the quarter were outpaced by the REDS' 20, resulting in a quarter score of 54-41 in favor of the REDS.

During the fourth quarter, Dalhousie struggled offensively, with Eva Widmeyer and Madelyn White each committing fouls early in the quarter. The team scored 9 points, with Sarah Valley contributing a jumper and Mercy Olugu adding a 3-pointer and a late layup. Sydney Guker-Wickie made two successful free throws, and Sophie Carmichael provided an assist and a block, but Dalhousie fell short as the REDS outscored them 22-9 in the quarter, leading to a final score of 76-50.

Madelyn White led the Dalhousie basketball team with 11 points, making three 3-pointers and securing four rebounds. She also contributed defensively with two steals. Samantha Manieri was a standout in rebounding with nine total boards, including three offensive rebounds, and added two blocks. Sydney Guker-Wickie was the team's top scorer with 14 points, shooting 5-for-16 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line, while also grabbing six rebounds and three steals. These players highlighted the team's efforts in their recent game.

Looking ahead, the Tigers have a short turnaround this week, returning to the court on Wednesday to host the Axewomen.