Huskies keep rolling with 85-71 win over the Reds

(HALIFAX, N.S.)—The U Sports No. 5-ranked SMU Huskies defeated the visiting UNB Reds 85-71 in Atlantic University Sport men's basketball action from the Homburg Centre on Saturday night.

Chris Spurrell (Quipamsis, NB) and Nico Brauner (Hettenhain, Germany) scored 19 points apiece to pace their respective universities.

Spurrell scored five points in the opening quarter for UNB, as the Reds led 18-15.

Brauner chipped in six points in the second quarter for SMU, as the Huskies outscored UNB 21-18 and drew even at halftime, 36-36.

The Reds outscored SMU 24-23 in the third quarter and led 60-59 after thirty minutes.

SMU outscored UNB 26-11 in the final quarter, earning the 85-71 victory.

Brauner added 13 rebounds, pulling off the double-double for Saint Mary's.

Ibrahima Doumbauya (Calgary, AB) scored 16 points for UNB while Daniel Levitt (Montreal, QC) added 10 points off the bench for the Reds, who drop to 8-5 on the year.

Kemar Alleyne (Scarborough, ON) added 14 points for SMU while Johneil Johnson (Lake Echo, NS) had 13 off the bench and Nikita Kasongo (Chateauguay, PQ) chipped in 11.

SMU improves to 11-0 in conference play.

Both teams return to action next week with SMU at Acadia January 24 and January 26 while UNB hosts StFX January 25-26.

Tip-off for all games is 8 p.m.

Dominic Nolasco

Photo Nick Pearce