Huskies go a perfect 3-0, win UNB’s 2023 Helen Campbell Memorial Basketball Tournament

FREDERICTON, NB – The Saint Mary's Huskies Women's Basketball team has started the preseason with a perfect 3-0 record, winning this weekend's Stewart-McKelvey Helen Campbell Memorial Tournament, hosted by the UNB REDS in Fredericton, NB.

On Friday night, fifth-year guard Alaina McMillan (Brantford, ON), was named Player of the Game, pouring in a game-high 15 points and eight assists in a 65-61 win over the Laval Rouge et Or. A balanced full-team effort saw forward Lucina Beaumont (Fredericton, NB) add eight points and 10 rebounds, while guard Courtney Donaldson (Kelowna, BC), added eight points and four assists.

On Saturday, the Huskies used a big third quarter to defeat the Nipissing Lakers 66-54. 11 different Huskies hit the score sheet, with Player of the Game Lucina Beaumont leading the way with 11 points – including nine in the third quarter - and eight rebounds, while Alaina McMillan added 10 points and four assists.

On Sunday afternoon, the Huskies met AUS rivals the UNB REDS to decide the tournament champion, and controlled the game from the opening tip, winning the first third quarters on their way to a decisive 74-50 victory.

"I thought we played our best game of the weekend today," Huskies head coach Scott Munro told UNB Athletics post-game.

Beaumont continued her fantastic play with a game-high 20 points, adding five rebounds, while guard Aki Kobayashi (Osaka, Japan) was named Player of the Game contributed 10 points and six rebounds.

Alaina McMillan was named Tournament Most Valuable Player, averaging 10.7 points, five assists, four rebounds and 2.7 steals over three games played.

Lucina Beaumont was named a tournament All-Star with averages of 13 points, 7.7 rebounds and two blocks per game. REDS guard Kylee Speedy (Fredericton, NB) and wing Erin Ingalls (St. George, NB), Nipissing Lakers forward Megan Mccarter (Wallaceburg, ON), and Laval guard Frédérique Beaudry-Blais (Québec, QC) were also named to the Tournament All-Star team.

This marked the second time in the past three seasons that the Huskies have captured the Helen Campbell Memorial Basketball Tournament, as they won the banner in 2021.

Huskies win the 2023 Helen Campbell Memorial Tournament with a 74-50 victory over host @UNBAthletics!

�� Alaina McMillan named Tournament MVP,
averaging 10.7 PPG, 5 APG, 4 RPG, 2.7 SPG in 3 GP

⭐️Lucina Beaumont named Tournament All-Star,
averaging 13 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 2 BPG in 3 GP pic.twitter.com/upqu0vBJH2

— Saint Mary's Huskies (@SMUHuskies) October 1, 2023

The weekend also marked the first action for several new additions to the defending AUS Championship roster - guards Aliyah Fraser (New Glasgow, NS), Georgia Bell (Miriamichi, NB), Julia Black (Halifax, NS) and McKenna Dunn (Hollis, NH) and forwards Chloe Wilson (Dartmouth, NS) and Emily Dikdan (Exeter, ON) all making their Huskies debut.

The Huskies will open the 2023-24 AUS Regular Season at home, as they host the Acadia Axewomen in a rematch of last year's AUS Championship Final on Thursday, Oct. 26 at 6 p.m. the Homburg Centre.

Recap by Allan April / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics
Photos by Kunal Majahan / UNB REDS Athletics