The Dalhousie Tigers secured a hard-fought 75-65 victory over the second place CBU CAPERS
The Dalhousie Tigers secured a hard-fought 75-65 victory over the second place CBU Capers, avenging last night's tough loss to the Capers.
The Tigers came out strong, smothering Caper standout Kiyara Letlow (Toronto, ON) in the post and forcing her into a cold 2-for-7 start. Offensively, the Tigers attacked the rim with efficient layups and pull-ups while forcing seven turnovers in the first quarter alone.
Guard Kaitlyn Ferrier (Calgary, AB) spearheaded the Tigers' early dominance. Ferrier also contributed eight points in the opening period by orchestrating a fluid half-court offence with handoffs and pick-and-roll facilitation. The Tigers closed the first quarter with a 26-21 lead.
Momentum shifted in the second quarter as the Capers adjusted. The Tigers began settling for jump shots, allowing Letlow to find her rhythm. Letlow and Hailey MacLeod (Marion Bridge, NS) capitalized on improved ball movement, combining for 16 points in the period—Letlow with 10 and MacLeod with six.
The game remained tightly contested by halftime, with CBU edging ahead 40-37. The Tigers, however, saw significant contributions from their bench, outscoring the Capers' reserves 20-7 in the first half. Despite being out-rebounded 25-18 and surrendering 14 second-chance points, Dalhousie's persistence kept them within striking distance.
The Tigers delivered a resounding response in the second half. Their defence shone in the third quarter, holding the Capers to just 14 points. Ferrier continued her stellar performance, scoring nine points in the period through crafty dribble penetration and shot creation.
In the fourth quarter, the Tigers' defence took control, limiting Letlow and MacLeod's impact. Holding the Capers to 65 points—well below their league-leading average of 73.2 points per game—was a testament to Dalhousie's defensive resilience.
The Tigers' 75-65 upset win proved their record doesn't fully reflect their potential. Meline Collins (Halifax, NS) earned player of the game honours, tallying 18 points on an efficient 5-of-6 shooting while anchoring the team's post defence.
Ferrier was unstoppable, scoring a game-high 25 points to maintain her strong 2024-25 campaign. She increased her season scoring average to over 21.6 points per game, solidifying her position as the second-leading scorer in the AUS.
Mercy Olugu (Halifax, NS) delivered her best performance of the season, adding 10 points off the bench. Olugu's energy on defence—disrupting passing lanes and bringing grit to the perimeter—earned her a spot in the late-game rotation.
The Tigers aim to build on this momentum when they travel to Newfoundland to face Memorial University on Friday at 5:30 PM AST. Meanwhile, the CBU Capers will look to bounce back against UPEI in another 5:30 PM AST matchup.
Written by Sam Goldstein
Photos by Trevor MacMillan