Ravens embarrass Gees at home with 81–40 final heading into Capital Hoops
On Jan. 17, the Carleton Ravens and University of Ottawa Gee-Gees faced off in a preview of their Capital Hoops match-up, which will be taking place on Feb. 3. Coming into Tuesday’s game the Ravens and Gees were ranked first and second in the country, respectively. For one team, the ranking will surely change.
The Ravens handed the Gees an 81–40 loss in front of a packed Montpetit Hall. Both teams came into the game undefeated, and people expected it to be a hotly contested match.
Unfortunately, the Gees’ woes started early and persisted throughout the game. The Garnet and Grey managed only a single three and a single free throw in the entire first quarter, trailing 11–4 on a horrendous 7.1 shooting percentage.
Defensively, the Gees struggled to stop Carleton’s multi-dimensional offense and trailed the Ravens 19–6 four minutes into the second. As the buzzer rang to signal the end of the half, the Gees carried a 35–17 deficit with them into the locker room.
The home crowd at Montpetit was looking for the Gees to come out rejuvenated in the latter half of the game, but it would only get worse from there.
The Gees’ defensive struggles continued in the second half, as the Ravens reeled off six straight points, including two big dunks, to start the frame.
The Ravens refused to take their foot off the gas in the fourth, continuing to build on their lead. Carleton’s bench players came in and scored with just as much ease as the starters.
M🏀: All night 🌔 long 💪
Ravens way out front 68-30 4th Q ⚫🔴 pic.twitter.com/j5qojlvCgE— Carleton Ravens (@CURavens) January 18, 2017
The Gees looked out of sorts all game, and a major blowout was the end result. When the last buzzer mercifully sounded the final score read an embarrassing 80–41 loss at the hands of their rivals.
Shooting only 21.4 per cent on the game and committing 18 turnovers are concerning signs for a Gees team who expected to dominate all season.
Key producers Caleb Agada and Jean-Emmanuel Pierre-Charles struggled offensively throughout the game, and will need to find a way to step up against a strong Carleton defense. At the other end, the Gees’ defense will have to find a way to stop Connor Wood and the Ravens’ offense.
Clearly, the Gees need to make some drastic changes on both ends of the court before they meet Carleton again on Feb. 3 for the Capital Hoops match-up.
The Gee-Gees next home game will take place on Jan. 20 at 8 p.m. at Montpetit hall. Tickets can be purchased here.
