Panthers overpower Huskies in game two

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – Jenna Mae Ellsworth scored 30 points and pulled down five rebounds as UPEI used a dominant fourth quarter to beat SMU 79-69 on Saturday night, extending the Panther winning streak to three in 2020.

SMU (5-5) led by one after the first quarter as Lucina Beaumont (Fredericton, NB) had eight of her team-high 17 points in the quarter and the Huskies led 15-14.

Ellsworth (Charlottetown, PE) and Reese Baxendale (Sussex, NB) scored seven points apiece in the second for the Panthers, who outscored SMU 21-13 in the quarter and led by seven points at the half, 35-28.

SMU's Katelyn Power (Bayside, NS) and Ariana Macias (Tampa, Florida) combined for 11 points in the third quarter as Ellsworth and Baxendale added 14 points in the frame for the Panthers, with the Huskies fighting back in the frame, they outscored UPEI 25-19 and trailed UPEI by one, 54-53 after thirty minutes.

UPEI's Karla Yepez (Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador) added all eight of her points in the final frame, as the Panthers outscored the Huskies 25-16 and held on for the 79-69 victory.

Baxendale finished with 17 points for the Panthers.

Alaina McMillan (Brantford, ON) added 11 points for SMU as Power finished with 10 points off the Huskies' bench and Macias had seven.

The Panthers improve to 8-2 in conference play and hit the road for a match-up with the Cape Breton Capers on January 18.

Saint Mary's, on a three-game skid, play host to UNB on January 18.

Dominic Nolasco, SMU

Photo Nick Pearce