Huskies win fourth straight with 84-56 win over Panthers

HALIFAX, NS—The U SPORTS #9 ranked Saint Mary's Huskies (12-3) defeated the UPEI Panthers (7-9) 84-56 on Saturday Night at the Homburg Centre.

Player-of-the-Game Alaina McMillan's (Brantford, ON) virtuoso performance of 21 points, five assists, and four steals was bolstered by a 43-31 team rebounding advantage, with all active Huskies registering a rebound.

McMillan started off with a steal and a transition behind-the-back dime for guard Courtney Donaldson (Kelowna, BC). McMillan then snuck an offensive rebound to find Clara Gascoigne for three. Panthers forward Aiden Rainford (Toronto, ON) responded with her own offensive board, relocating for a corner three. Rainford then pump-faked the defense for a banker in the lane. Guard Sydney Cummins (Wolfville, NS) drew a charge on a full-steam McMillan, but the Panthers couldn't capitalize. Huskies forward Lucina Beaumont (Fredericton, NB) split a pair of free throws, the second deflecting off Rainford, leading to a deflating McMillan reverse layup off the inbound. McMillan then found Donaldson for three and an ultimately insurmountable 13-5 lead.

With five minutes remaining, the Huskies and Panthers went to their benches, and the Huskies demonstrated their depth. McMillan attacked the Panthers reserves, nailing a fallaway jumper at the top of the key while hitting the hardwood. Huskies guard Aki Kobayashi (Hyogo, Japan) contributed immediately, converting her rebound into a pair of free throws. McMillan continued her onslaught with a step back triple over the contest from Cummins. Panthers forward Elise Plaschka (Brockville, ON) brought indomitable energy on glass all game, and finished a layup through contact for the and-one, cutting the lead to 20-10. Huskies forward Chloe Wilson (Dartmouth, NS) in the pick and pop with Kobayashi drained an uncontested 3 to punish the drop coverage. Donaldson the took over the offense, earning herself a corner triple, before Wilson fed her in the paint, freed by a post-to-post screen. With under a minute, Kobayashi locked up the Panthers with full court pressure for an eight second violation. The Panthers showed flashes with a fast break of quick passes and a singular dribble, finished with a Grace Walton (Kentville, NS) layup. Donaldson put her stamp on the dominant 30-12 quarter with a crossover step back swish from the right elbow for her 14th point.

The second quarter began with the Huskies blowing up the Panthers off-ball movement, generating a missed runner, before forcing a shot clock violation. On offense, Donaldson drew double coverage in the lane to find a wrap-around to forward Marlo Steenbakkers (Ottawa, ON) for a layup. Rainford put the Panthers on the board, knocking down a midrange trailing the play. Guard Devon Lawlor (Millcove, PE) finished an and-one and added another three, although the Panthers still trailed 36-20. Plaschka seemed unstoppable on the glass, but couldn't convert this advantage into points, as the Panthers were plagued by the blaring shot clock. Donaldson wrapped up the Huskies half with 20 points, holding a 46-24 advantage. 

McMillan opened the third with a pair of steals, but only generated a single point, while Lawlor finished a layup through contact. A nice entry pass to Rainford over the fronting Steenbakkers ended with a layup, but Steenbakkers hit back-to-back threes from the left elbow. Panthers guard Samantha Zoffranieri (Brampton, ON) hit the second of her third quarter threes to reduce the deficit to 55-37, but McMillan replied with a breakaway layup, and stepped into a triple when Beaumont tipped a rebound to Kobayashi for a hockey assist. Zoffranieri persisted through a full-court Kobayashi to find Rainford in the paint, but Wilson fired a triple over an astonished Rainford. On the last play, Donaldson weaved her way through the Panthers, drawing Rainford away from Wilson on the left block, who added a layup for a 68-43 lead. 

Another leadoff McMillan steal began the fourth, weaving her way through off-ball screens, and finishing at the other end with a reverse layup. The Panthers were held scoreless for the first five minutes until guard Grace Walton found Zoffranieri for a triple at the top of the key. Unfortunately for the Panthers, Rainford appeared to twist her ankle with two minutes remaining. The final score was 84-56. 

Player-of-the-game Alaina McMillan had 21 points on 7-14 shooting, to go with three rebounds, five assists, and four steals for the Huskies. Courtney Donaldson had 22 points (8-22 FG, 4-14 3PT) along with four rebounds, two assists. All twelve Huskies who saw play registered a rebound, and Lucina Beaumont celebrated her birthday by matching a game-high eight rebounds with Marlo Steenbakkers.

Aiden Rainford led the Panthers with 17 points on 6-10 from the field, plus five rebounds. Samantha Zoffranieri had 14 points and five rebounds, while Elise Plaschka and Sydney Cummins each added six rebounds.

The Huskies play the second of their three-game homestand on Friday, Feb. 2 when they host the AUS-leading UNB REDS, with tip-off scheduled for 6 p.m.

The Panthers will begin their own three-game homestand on Saturday, Feb. 3 when they host the Dalhousie Tigers in Charlottetown at 6 p.m.

RECAP BY: Dr. Casper Macaulay, SMU Huskies Athletics / PHOTOS BY: Eduardo Ibarra