Sea-Hawks dominate from start to finish, defeat Panthers
The Memorial Sea-Hawks (9-7) turned in one of their better performances of the season in their 86-67 win over the UPEI Panthers (11-2), due to their explosive offence and great effort on defence.
St. John's, NL—The Memorial Sea-Hawks (9-7) turned in one of their better performances of the season in their 86-67 win over the UPEI Panthers (11-2), due to their explosive offence and great effort on defence.
The Sea-Hawks would jump ahead to a 15-9 lead after the opening quarter, with each team struggling to find consistency on offence in the opening frame. The home team would find their offensive touch in the 2nd and 3rd quarter, outscoring the Panthers 22-13 and 27-19 respectively in those quarters. At the end of the 3rd quarter the Sea-Hawks had a commanding 64-41 lead, but facing a team the caliber of the Panthers, a strong effort would still be needed in the final frame. The Sea-Hawks would continue to knock down shots in the final frame, and despite a bit of an offensive run by the Panthers, the Sea-Hawks were able to finish the game with the 19-point victory.
Led by their outstanding shooting, the Sea-Hawks were able to pour in 86 points, their third highest output this season, mainly due to their 48.4% shooting from the floor, and 47.6% shooting from three-point range. The home team was also able to get great production from their bench, outscoring the Panthers 24-7, adding to the scoring onslaught. Alana Short led the way for the Sea-Hawks, finishing with 23 points on an efficient 8/14 from the field, while Hannah Green (17) and Rebecca Ekström (13) contributed to the cause. Gabrielle Roach led the Sea-Hawks on the glass, finishing with a team-high 11 rebounds and 5 points.
The Panthers' Reese Baxendale was a constant threat, leading her team with 24 points and knocking down a game-high 4 three-pointers. Lauren Rainford finished with 14 points and 4 assists, while Alicia Bowering finished with 11 points. Caroline Del Santo was dominant on the glass, grabbing 11 rebounds, while also adding 5 points and 5 assists.
The Sea-Hawks and Panthers will be taking to the floor again in the AUS Championship, taking place from March 17-20 at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax.
Recap: MUN Sea-Hawks Communications
Photo: Udantha Chandre