52 points were scored from the bench
In the first game of their back-to-back, the Gee-Gees took on Ontario Tech at home.
The Gees were quick to impose their will, storming out to a 15-6 lead early in the game. However, the Ridgebacks would get back in the game by taking it to the hoop and converting their free throws, bringing it back to 24-18.
The Gees hit a late three-pointer, then got a steal and converted a pair of free throws to end the quarter up 29-18.
In the second half, the scoring slowed down for both teams, with the Gees scoring 17 and the Ridgebacks getting only 9.
The overall tempo, set by Natsuki Szczokin with her great outlet passes and quick transitions, helped the Gees get quick baskets. Her play brought the lead to 46-27 going into the half.
Coming out of the half, the Gee-Gees turned it on. Their immediate 20-2 run resulted in the game becoming slightly lopsided. By the end of the third, the Ridgebacks were down 76-35 and seemingly out of it.
In the fourth quarter, the Gees bench unit did not take their foot off the gas. The team would put 26 more points in the final quarter to get the team’s total points scored on the night to 102.
During the game, U of O got a huge contribution from the bench players, as 52 of the team’s 102 points came from players who started the game on the bench.
Some standout performances from the game included Szczokin with 15 points, four rebounds and six assists; Brigitte Lefebvre-Okankwu, who got a double-double with a game-high 21 points and 12 rebounds; and Emily Payne, who quietly had five blocks in only 14 minutes of play.
The Gee-Gees remain undefeated following the second game of the weekend, where they took down Guelph 69-60.
