Photo courtesy of Trevor MacMillan
Posted: Feb 20, 2016
(Halifax, NS) Saturday nights AUS women's basketball matchup between the Dalhousie Tigers and UPEI Panthers featured two teams looking to solidify an AUS playoff position. The Panthers came out on top 68-67 in a game that went down to the wire.
Ainsley MacIntyre opened up the scoring on the first possession of the game for the Tigers. UPEI had a strong response going on a 7-0 run early in the first few minutes.
The Panthers continued to control the pace of the game opening up a 17-10 lead by the end of the first quarter. Dalhousie struggled offensively going over four minutes without a field goal to close out the quarter.
Kiera Rigby finished off a nice three point play after a strong move around the basket giving the Panthers a 25-12 lead half through the second quarter.
Sophie Gaube gave the Tigers crowd some life hitting a three point shot cutting the deficit down to 28-15.
Rigby continued with her lights out shooting nailing a deep three extending the UPEI lead to 34-18.
Dalhousie started to chip away at the once 16-point lead stringing a couple of baskets together near the end of the second quarter. Heading into halftime the Panthers led 37-29.
The Tigers continued to cut the Panthers lead early in the third quarter. MacIntrye drove hard to the basket and was rewarded with two points cutting the Panther lead to 39-34.
Megan Thompson drained a clutch three for Dalhousie knotting the game up at 45-45 late in the third quarter.
The Tigers outscored the Panthers 22-13 in the third quarter and held a 51-50 lead heading into the fourth.
Anne Kiberd regained the lead for the Panthers hitting a three in the opening two minutes of the fourth quarter.
After what was a closely contested opening five minutes to the fourth quarter a couple Tigers turnover resulted in a 68-60 UPEI lead with three minutes remaining.Gaube responded coming up with another three-ball cutting the Tigers deficit to 68-65.
With 6.7 seconds remaining, the Tigers had possession and trailed 68-67 but could not make the buzzer beater.
Katie Donahoe had a game high 21-points for the Panthers.
Both teams have one game remaining in their AUS regular season schedule. Dalhousie will face off against Cape Breton while UPEI will play UNB. Both games will take place Friday, February 26th.