Ravens overpower Gee-Gees in dominant win, snap Gees’ win streak
The University of Ottawa women’s basketball team were stunned by the Carleton Ravens at the Capital Hoops Classic on Feb. 5.
In arguably their biggest game of the season, the Gees came into the game on a hot streak only to be out-hustled and outplayed at the Canadian Tire Centre in front of thousands of spectators.
The game ended with an emphatic score of 73-50 in favour of the Ravens, who dominated throughout the game—leaving the Gees looking unlikely to overturn the deficit at any point.
The lopsided loss also snaps the Gees’ four-game winning streak over the Ravens, and their five-game winning streak this season.
Despite the Gee-Gees holding the better record between the two sides, a close, hard-fought game was to be expected. In reality, the Ravens surged to an insurmountable 27-point lead in the first half and quickly stifled any hopes of a Gee-Gees win.
The Gee-Gee offence couldn’t handle the Ravens’ constant pressure and ferocious defence, scoring just six points in the first quarter on their way to a steep 43-16 deficit at halftime.
Though the team played better in the second half, it proved to be too little too late as Carleton consistently made shot after shot to maintain a 20-point lead over the Gees.
Third-year centre Heather Lindsay was a dominant force for the Ravens as she recorded a double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds.
A deciding factor in the game was the effort on the glass, as Carleton, the more aggressive team on the day, grabbed nearly double the number of rebounds than the Gee-Gees with 62 boards to just 32.
Point guard Julia Soriano was the Gee-Gees’ top scorer with 14 points, but the usually devastating forwards Catherine Traer and Kellie Ring were held to just nine points combined—with Traer going 0-9 from the field in her return from injury.
Kellie Ring drives on a Carleton defender in the loss. Photo: Marta Kierkus
In light of the big loss, head coach Andy Sparks will have to reassess his team’s needs and correct the numerous glaring mistakes.
“(Physicality) was the issue,” said Sparks. “I think we have kids that are tougher than they showed today—at least I hope we do. That was a Carleton team that wanted it more than us today and we’re going to have to go back to the drawing board… but full credit to them, they deserved it.”
This wasn’t the first time Ottawa has faced opposition with a more uncompromising approach to basketball, after being warned in their 46-44 win over the Queen’s Gaels.
Despite Carleton employing a man-to-man defensive scheme which the Gee-Gees are usually successful in responding to, the Ravens’ help defence was extremely effective and hampered the Gee-Gees game plan according to Sparks.
The Gees were behind in nearly every offensive statistic, trailing the Ravens in fastbreak points, second chance points and points off turnovers.
“It was a case of us not executing, not making plays, getting out-hustled and outworked, we just weren’t there today. Hopefully we use this as a learning point, that’s the best we can do,” said Sparks.
Next up for the Gee-Gees is a pair of back-to-back road games against the Western Mustangs and the Brock Badgers on Feb. 12 and 13.
