Antigonish, NS - On the strength of a stellar second-half defensive effort, the StFX X-Women (9-9) cruised to a 67-46 win over the visiting Dalhousie Tigers (8-10) Saturday evening at Oland Centre in Antigonish in AUS basketball action.
On senior night, in the final home game of the season for the X-Women, fifth-year guard Lia St. Pierre scored a game-high 22 points, including six three-pointers. She added 13 rebounds, seven steals, two blocked shots and two assists.
"There are a lot of emotions. I am glad we played a strong game; it was a great way to finish my career at home," St. Pierre said after the game.
Rebecca Sheehan, the other fifth-year senior with the X-Women, scored seven points, while adding three rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Kolbi Roper and Lindsay Lessard hit double figures for the blue and white with 12 points apiece.
For the Tigers, Courtney Thompson scored 12, while Tessa Stammberger added eight.
Rebecca Nuttall and Robbi Daley led Dal with five rebounds each.
The X-Women outscored the Tigers 36-21 in the second half, holding the visitors to nine points in the fourth quarter.
The home team's biggest lead was 20 points in the third quarter.
StFX led 31-25 at halftime.
The visiting Tigers jumped to a 17-6 lead in the first quarter, on the strength of transition baskets and eight points from Nuttall, who led her team with 10 at the break.
Trailing 19-11 after the opening 10 minutes, the X-Women tightened their defense, outscoring the Tigers 20-6 in the second quarter.
St. Pierre drained back-to-back three pointers to help her team to the halftime lead.
She led the X-Women with 11 points, seven rebounds, two steals, two blocked shots and one assist.
"We came out flat in the first quarter, but we started to step up our defense in the second and make some shots," X-Women fifth-year guard Rebecca Sheehan said at the intermission.
Sheehan had five points, including a three-pointer, one rebound and one steal in the first 20 minutes.
Sheehan and St. Pierre were honoured after the game on senior night for their contributions to the X-Women program.
"They are two of the best players I have ever coached," X-Women head coach Augy Jones said during the ceremony, describing the tandem as "consummate team players."
He described the X-Women veterans as "coachable," along with "positive leaders who have always been able to accept criticism and change."
Jones said Sheehan and St. Pierre are the type of players young women should emulate.
He also credited his players' parents for their contributions in making the student-athletes equally as great as people.
"It is kind of sad; this is my favourite place to play," Sheehan said of her career at Oland Centre in a halftime interview.
After the post-game presentation, the two fifth-year seniors received a standing ovation.
The X-Women return to action Friday, Feb. 21, when they travel to Charlottetown to face the UPEI Panthers.
"We want to continue playing this way and finish the season strong on the road and build momentum for the AUS playoffs," St. Pierre said.
Courtesy of StFX Athletics