The Carleton women’s basketball team have racked up an impressive first win in their defence of the title at this year’s USports National Championship.
The Ravens dismantled the Bishop’s Gaiters 71-41 in an intense game played at the War Memorial Gym at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. The tournament features eight teams from across the country including Laval, uOttawa, UBC, Saint Mary’s, Alberta and Saskatchewan and will run until Sunday.
The Carleton women, who took the title last year, came into the tournament ranked number three while Bishop’s is at number six.
Bishop’s was in foul trouble early in the game and couldn’t find the back of the net while shooting their own free throws. Carleton began with an aggressive fast break and press. It worked. At half time, the energetic Carleton squad was up 34-20.
In the third quarter, Carleton took a 20-point lead led by Dorcas Buisa. She scored nine out of Carleton’s 15 points and created lots of ball movement for her team.
Buisa was rewarded for her hard work with the Player of the Game award for the Ravens while Eve Atchampone won it for Bishop’s, finishing the game with 11 points.
Carleton’s Teresa Donato was the game’s top scorer with 20 points, hitting nine out of her 10 free throws.
With the win, Carleton moves to the semi-finals where they will meet longtime rivals the uOttawa Gee Gees, who beat Laval 71-67 in a tight game that went into overtime. The two Ottawa teams will meet for a rematch of the OUA Critelli Cup Final where uOttawa won 70-61, the Ravens’ first loss since preseason.
Carleton head coach Dani Sinclair spoke after the game about her team’s feelings about the upcoming rematch.
“They outplayed us last Saturday so we [have to] take better care of the ball, finish on offence and play better defensively,” she said.
The game will be March 15 at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbirds Centre in Vancouver at 9 p.m. ET.
