Game recap by: Kirk Jessome
(Halifax, NS) – in the late matchup of the Centennial Women's Basketball Tournament, the Dalhousie Tigers faced their cross-town rival Saint Mary's Huskies. It was a game that was decided from the free-throw line, and the Tigers got the better of it, and the 55-49 win.
The Huskies jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the opening minute, with Alaina McMillan (Brantford, ON) hitting a three, followed by a steal and a layup to pick up five points in 20 seconds.
After being forced to take a quick timeout, the Tigers settled in, and slowly worked their way back by using defence to win possessions, and Lia Kentzler (Gottingen, Germany) got inside twice to erase the deficit.
The teams were close in the final two minutes of the quarter, until Kendra Mackinnon (Pictou, NS) knocked down back to back shots from deep to put her team up 17-11 heading into the second quarter.
It was a very defensive second quarter, and the Tigers took advantage of it. The Tigers climbed their way back into it once again, forcing turnovers and tough shots on the defensive end, and then getting to the line on offense.
Michele Tchiakoua (Yaounde, Cameroon) gave the Tigers their first lead of the game, hitting a fast break layup, and then coming back down again to knock down a three.
The Tigers held the Huskies to just 7 points in the quarter, and the work by Tchiakoua helped give them a 27-24 lead heading into halftime.
Both teams continued to be aggressive on the inside in the third, getting to the line often in the quarter.
The Tigers forced the issue on offensive rebounds, and used inbounds plays to create space for shooters like Sophie Gaube (Hubley, NS) to knock down outside shots. This helped push the Tigers to a 44-32 lead at the end of the quarter.
The shooting went cold on both sides in much of the fourth quarter, but both teams continued to get to the line and make free throws count.
The Huskies made a run late in the game to bring themselves close, with McMillan picking up the old school three-point play, and Mackinnon getting to the line for two on the next possession.
Up five with under a minute left, the Tigers had possession in the attacking end, forcing the Huskies to foul Ariel Provo (Lake Echo, NS), who knocked down the front end of the two, and put the game out of reach.
The Tigers dribbled out the clock, and came away with the 55-49 win.
McMillan led the Huskies with 12 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists in this one, while Robertha Charles (Montreal, QC) quietly picked up a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Tigers.
The Huskies will take on Guelph tomorrow morning at 10:00am, while the Tigers will face off against Windsor at noon.