Veteran Jen Crowe paces Gees with 12 points in strong performance
The University of Ottawa Women’s basketball team took on the University of Western Ontario in a rare morning game at Montpetit hall on Nov. 17. The Gees were trying to respond after getting blown out by Carleton in the Bytown classic, which has been an all-too-familiar theme for the Garnet and Grey.
The result was a great defensive effort that continuously stopped the Western offence.
Six minutes into the first quarter, the Gee-Gees led 7-5 in a very tight affair. Ribarich gave the Gees a 13-8 lead with a minute remaining after a close jumper in the paint. The Garnet and Grey were good on the defensive end forcing four steals and limiting the Mustangs to 21 per cent from the field. They led 13-9 after the opening 10 minutes.
Two quick three-pointers for Western to go up 16-15 with seven minutes left in the second quarter. Maia Timmons responded with two threes of her own to put the Gees back up 21-20 with a minute to play. Western took the lead late to go up 24-21 going into the latter half. Timmons led the Gees with six points and four rebounds.
The Gee-Gees continued to struggle, stopping Julia Curran in the paint as she scored her 12th point of the game, but a triple by Kellie Forand and a jumper by Hachey kept their deficit to 31-28. An open three-pointer by McAlear cut into the Western lead to bring it down to 33-31 with five minutes to play. An 11-1 run for the Garnet and Grey gave them a 39-34 lead as they looked rejuvenated on the offensive end.
A late moving jumper by Western cut into the Gee-Gees’ lead, but the U of O took a 39-36 lead into the final frame.
Jen Crowe continued to pace the Gees with her 12 point of the game for a 43-36 Gee-Gees lead with 6:40 to go. A huge three-pointer for Forand gave the Gees a 48-38 lead with 3:30 left in the fourth.
Sparks talked about how his offensive started to click. “I thought Jen Crowe was really big in that game, Jen and Kellie, they are fourth and fifth year players out there, and I think they showed a little bit of character out there.”
A huge defensive stand for the Gee-Gees in the fourth quarter kept Western to three points and let them pull away. The overall performance was very solid, limiting Western to 27.5 per cent from the field, 20 per cent from three and forcing 21 turnovers. The Gees turned defence into offence on many occasions and ended up taking the game 52-39 against the Mustangs.
Coach Andy Sparks talked about what he liked about his team’s defensive game. “If you give up 39 points at this level you’re defending O.K.,” said Sparks. “I was pretty happy overall with the defensive end of the floor.”
The Gee-Gees next home game will take place on Jan. 5 against the University of Toronto at Montpetit hall at 6 p.m.
