The Gaels upset two top-tier teams over the weekend.
The McMaster Marauders had lost just one game before they fell 79-72 to the Gaels (5-3) in Kingston last Friday night, while the Brock Badgers were ranked 10th in the country before they fell 69-65 to Queen’s in overtime on Saturday.
Gaels head coach Dave Wilson is bullish about his team this year. When asked to pick the order of how every team will finish in the OUA East, he placed the Gaels second, behind only the Ottawa Gee-Gees.
“That’s what I think is a realistic place for us to be,” Wilson said. “That’s how much I believe in this group. This is the first time I’ve ever put us this high.”
The Gaels ended the game against the Marauders (6-2) shooting 49.1 per cent from the field, while going eight for 16 from three-point territory.
All five starters scored in double digits, with guard Liz Boag leading the team with 18 points and six assists.
The Gaels trailed by five points before entering the final quarter, when they outscored the Marauders 30-18.
The Marauders’ Hailey Milligan posted 25 points and finished with 17 rebounds.
The win over McMaster extended Queen’s unbeaten home record to start the season.
“We’re not just about beating teams that are competitive with us,” Wilson said. “It’s about being competitive with the best teams in the country.”
On Saturday, it was forward Gemma Bullard’s clutch shooting in the fourth quarter and in the extra frame that allowed the Gaels to pull out an overtime win against Brock (5-3).
Bullard scored only four points in the first half, but sparked a 21-point second half to finish with 25 total. She scored nine points in the fourth quarter and six in overtime.
“All the girls always joke about it. They’re like ‘you’re resting half the game and you don’t even come out until the fourth quarter,’” Bullard said.
After guard Emily Hazlett scored off a layup to put the Gaels ahead 57-55 with 14 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the Badgers’ Nicole Rosenkranz sunk two free throws to tie the game.
In overtime, Bullard hit a three-pointer to put them ahead for good. She said her team’s conditioning gave them an advantage in overtime.
The Gaels will play their final game of the first half of the season against the York Lions (1-7) on the road tomorrow. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.
Tags
Brock, Bullard, Gaels, mcmaster, Wilson, women's basketball
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