Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
McMillan, dominant team defence lead Huskies to second straight AUS Championship in 64-49 win over REDS
Posted: Feb 25, 2024

McMillan, dominant team defence lead Huskies to second straight AUS Championship in 64-49 win over REDS

Tickets Photos Box Score
Game Leaders
UNB
Pts: Jayda Veinot - 18
Reb: Katie Butts - 16
Ast: 3 Players (#09, #11, #13) - 3
Saint Mary's
Pts: Alaina McMillan - 22
Reb: Team - 10
Ast: Alaina McMillan - 6
Team Stats
Full stats

HALIFAX, NS - Saint Mary's guard Alaina McMillan scored 15 of her 22 points in the second half leading the Huskies to a 64-49 win over the UNB REDS in the Atlantic University Sport women's basketball championship final on Sunday at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax.

"I can just say I'm proud," said McMillan post-game. "All season we've been saying defence wins basketball games, so we really made sure in the second half that we were capitalizing on that, we knew UNB is a talented team and they weren't going to let up, so it was just getting the little things done, offensive boards, we got those blocks in the fourth quarter but that's just because we were in the right position, and that's what happens when you put the work in the whole year."

With the win, the Huskies become the first team to repeat as AUS Champions since the Acadia Axewomen in 2018-19 and 2017-18. The Huskies will now represent the AUS at the U SPORTS Women's Basketball Championships, which will be hosted by the University of Alberta, March 7-10 in Edmonton.

The Huskies started off the scoring with a deep three-pointer from All-Star guard Alaina McMillan (Brantford, ON), followed up by a floater in the lane from guard Clara Gascoigne (Dartmouth, NS), as the top seed opened up an early 5-0 lead.

The REDS responded with forward Katie Butts (Ottawa, ON) coming off the bench to make a pair of jump shots. The Huskies struggled to find their shot through the opening 10 minutes, shooting just 5/17 (29%) from the floor, and the REDS took a slim 13-12 lead into the second quarter.

In the opening minutes of the second quarter, the REDS grew their lead to 17-12 after a pair of buckets from Butts and guard McKinley Bezanson (Hantsport, NS). But the Huskies went on a 8-2 run, with a nice post-move from forward Marlo Steenbakkers (Ottawa, ON) followed by a transition lay-up from forward Lucina Beaumont (Fredericton, NB), giving Saint Mary's a 20-19 lead.

The two teams continued to exchange leads throughout the second quarter, with league MVP Jayda Veinot (Port Williams, NS) hitting a lay-in to put UNB ahead again, but Huskies guard Aki Kobayashi (Osaka, Japan) responded with a three-pointer, followed by a spinning lay-up to restore the Huskies lead 25-23, forcing a REDS timeout. On the final possession of the half, Huskies guard Courtney Donaldson (Kelowna, BC) hit a pull-up jumper to give the Huskies a 29-25 lead at the half.

The Huskies were led in the first half by seven points a piece from guards Alaina McMillan and Aki Kobayashi, while Jayda Veinot led the REDS with 10 points. Both teams struggled to find their range in the first half, with the Huskies shooting just 2/12 (17%) from beyond the arc, while the REDS shot 0/9 from distance.

The REDS started the second half strong, with Butts and Erin Ingalls (St. George, NB) making a pair of lay-ups to tie it at 29-29, but Alaina McMillan went on a personal 5-0 run, sneaking through defenders with a step-through lay-in and draining a three-pointer to put the Huskies ahead 34-29.

The third quarter quickly turned into a duel between McMillan and Veinot as the fifth year, perennial all-star guards traded buckets, with McMillan scoring nine and Veinot scoring six in the quarter. But it was a pair of baskets from Erin Ingalls that gave the REDS a 45-41 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

The teams traded baskets to begin the fourth quarter, but a steal from McMillan leading to a Steenbakkers three helped cut the lead to one, 47-46. Unfortunately Steenbakkers went down with an injury moments later, putting a halt to an outstanding weekend for the fourth year forward.

But the Huskies looked inspired by the loss of their teammate, with McMillan hitting a three-pointer on the next possession to put them ahead 51-49.

The Huskies came up with some huge defensive stops on the next two possessions, with McMillan and Gascoigne both blocking Veinot on one possession, and Beaumont denying Ingalls off a sideline inbound, leading to an Aki Kobayashi three-pointer to extend the Huskies lead to 55-49.

The Huskies defence was phenomenal in the fourth quarter, limiting the REDS to just four points on 1/13 shooting from the floor. But it was only fitting that the reigning AUS Championship MVP Alaina McMillan stepped up again in the clutch, scoring six points and adding four assists in the final quarter, helping clinch the Huskies victory, 64-49.

"It was just getting stops," said McMillan post-game. "We have confidence in our offence and we know that if we get defensive boards and get in transition then offence will come, so it was really just capitalizing on getting stops and transitioning into offence."

"We talk about defence all the time, that's what we hang our hat on, and with about seven minutes left in the fourth it was still up in the air, which way it was going to go, and we just said 'listen, we need our best defensive effort right now for the next seven minutes', and that was the best defensive execution I've ever seen from our team, just a great job by everybody," said Huskies head coach Scott Munro post-game.

McMillan led the Huskies with 22 points - 15 after half-time - and added six assists, three rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Guard Clara Gascoigne chipped in 10 points, and the two-time defensive player of the year added five rebounds, three steals and two blocks, and guard Aki Kobayashi added 10 points off the Huskies bench.

The REDS were led by guard Jayda Veinot who scored 18 points, but was held to 6/20 shooting from the field. Erin Ingalls added 14 points, and Katie Butts came off the bench for a big 10-point, 16-rebound double-double.

McMillan was named the Most Valuable Player of the AUS Championship Tournament for the second straight season, as well as a Tournament All-Star. Huskies forward Marlo Steenbakkers was also named to the Tournament All-Star team, along with REDS guard Jayda Veinot, forward Katie Butts and Memorial Sea-Hawks guard Alana Short. 

"It was just one of those things that I'm trying to soak in," said McMillan. "Five years here went by so fast, I'm so happy with all the connections I made and all the people I met, and whether or not I was named MVP didn't really matter, I'm just so happy to be here."

"She's a gamer and she comes up big in the biggest situations," added Huskies head coach Scott Munro of his senior point guard. "She didn't have her best day in the semifinal and I know she was chomping at the bit to get back at it today, and we put the ball in her hands down the stretch and she made some plays."

Recap by Allan April / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics
Photos by Nick Pearce / Atlantic University Sport