Huskies top the AUS after statement 82-50 win over REDS

HALIFAX, NS - Earning a share of first place in the AUS, the Saint Mary's Huskies (13-3, U SPORTS #9) defeated the UNB REDS (13-3, U SPORTS #6) 82-50 on Friday night at the Homburg Centre. Player of the Game Lucina Beaumont (Fredericton, NB) led a strong team effort from the Huskies with 16 points and nine rebounds, who held the REDS to five points in a decisive second quarter.

The awesome and inspiring vocals of Eriana Willis (North Preston, NS) introduced a matchup of top teams on Black Heritage Night. The REDS jumped out ahead, as wing Jayda Veinot (Port Williams, NS) attacked a closeout with a runner off the glass, and added a transition three off an Erin Ingalls (St. George, NB) block on Courtney Donaldson (Kelowna, BC). REDS forward Katie Butts (Ottawa, ON) posed problems inside, enabling over-the-top entry passes. Meanwhile, Huskies guard Clara Gasgoigne (Dartmouth, NS) kept her team close, scoring their only seven points of the first five minutes, initially sinking a corner three from a Donaldson kickout. Gasgoigne then blocked Veinot off the dribble, before Beaumont tied the game at nine with a left corner jumper. Donaldson took the lead with a pull-up from the elbow, and Huskies reserve Aki Kobayashi (Hyogo, Japan) entered, immediately stole the inbound, and took it the length of the court for a layup. The REDS went to their bench. Wing Leah Travers (Calgary, AB) ended the REDS drought with a deep three. Nonetheless, the REDS couldn't put back a pair of offensive boards, and McMillan leaked out for a clean look from three in transition. McMillan, unrelenting, initiated a half-court track meet on offense that culminated with an offensive rebound and layup for a 18-14 lead. In the final minute, Ingalls managed to salvage a possession with an aggressive drive and a pair of free throws. But Kobayashi snuck a pass over the top to forward Chloe Wilson (Dartmouth, NS) who laid it in through contact, and the Huskies held a 20-16 advantage after a quarter of play.

The Huskies kept pace to start the second while relying on reserve energy. REDS guard Kylee Speedy opened the scoring with the only REDS field goal of the second quarter (1-11 FG). Huskies forward Marlo Steenbakkers (Ottawa, ON) immediately impacted the game upon her return with a layup off her offensive rebound, and a triple for a 27-18 lead that triggered a REDS timeout from head coach Erin McAleenan. After a grueling possession, Donaldson snatched a crosscourt pass for a breakaway layup, and followed up on the next with a three. McMillan then assisted Beaumont with a wraparound pass out of a triple team under the basket, before tipping in a perfectly timed rebound at full speed for another McAleenan timeout. Off a Huskies stop, McMillan carved the court with a diagonal transition pass for a Beaumont layup. Huskies guard Aliyah Fraser (New Glasgow, NS) got a fallaway layup to rattle in, and all of a sudden, the Huskies were up 40-19. Veinot drained a couple free throws to end the REDS drought despite a hard hit, but Steenbakkers shot right back from behind the arc. On the final possession, REDS point guard Ann Bastien (Terrebonne, QC) and Ingalls combined to shut down typical Donaldson dominance, with Bastien securing a block on a last second attempted triple.

HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ��

Lucy Beaumont gets the transition lay-in to go and the Huskies lead 43-21 at the half! pic.twitter.com/uAbVgytePV

— Saint Mary's Huskies (@SMUHuskies) February 2, 2024

The third quarter began with Veinot getting separation from Gascoigne for a jumper, but Gascoigne came back at Ingalls with a finger roll. A five-minute stretch of uninterrupted play featured thrilling baseline-to-baseline action. McMillan found ways to maintain possession using tiptoeing agility at the baseline, Steenbakkers threw herself out of bounds to keep team on offense, and the Huskies finished layups at a high clip. Meanwhile, Veinot was unstoppable, weaving her way through hapless Huskies for a quartet of third quarter layups. After an eventual whistle with four minutes remaining, the Huskies adjusted with substitutions. Full court Kobayashi defense on Veinot finally forced a pair of misses at the rim and a travel. The Huskies were well ahead 66-38 after three quarters.

HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ��

Clara Gascoigne getting it done on both ends! Lay-up, blocked shot, and another lay-up as the Huskies are up big! pic.twitter.com/O2pgkd18W9

— Saint Mary's Huskies (@SMUHuskies) February 2, 2024

Two minutes of scoreless fourth quarter action ended with a Fraser three, but continued for the REDS, until a Travers triple three minutes in. McMillan dazzled with a layup high off the glass and-one missing contact. Beaumont extended the lead to 74-44 with a crisp transition crossover layup on Butts, and followed up with a triple in front of the REDS bench. Travers added another pair from deep, but the Huskies still emerged victorious 82-50.

The Huskies were led by Player of the Game Lucina Beaumont's 16 points and nine rebounds. Alaina McMillan had 14 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, while Clara Gascoigne had 13 points, five rebounds, and three blocks. Marlo Steenbakkers had nine points and nine rebounds, including eight points and four rebounds in the second quarter.

Jayda Veinot had 20 points on 8-14 shooting to lead the REDS, while Erin Ingalls provided ten points and six rebounds. Leah Travers had 12 points on 4-8 3PT shooting off the bench.

The Huskies win improves their record to 13-3, matching the REDS record, but the Huskies hold the head-to-head point differential tiebreaker. Saint Mary's will play their final home game of the season on Thursday, Feb. 8 when they take on the Acadia Axewomen at 6 p.m. AST.

The REDS play the second of their back-to-back road games on Saturday night, also against the Axewomen, at 6 p.m. AST.

Recap by Dr. Casper Macaulay / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics
Photos by Mona Ghiz / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics