St. John's, NL
In the final game of the 2023-24 regular season, Memorial's women's basketball team hosted their counterparts from Saint Mary's University on Saturday evening at the Fieldhouse. With both teams having already locked-in playoffs positions for next weekend's AUS championships, the match was contested in a wise and calculated manner.
The Huskies took the initiative in the first half. Through a mixed bag of 3-point shooting, slick passing, and efficient transition, they jumped out to a 22-16 lead after the first quarter. Clara Gasgoine was the main offender, leading all scorers with 14 in the half. The advantage was 44-27 at the break.
The Sea-Hawks refused to fold and produced a well-executed third quarter, outscoring their opponents 19-16 in the frame. Hannah Green hit back-to-back threes, and coupled with Alyssa Jenkins' decisiveness, the Huskies were reminded that the Sea-Hawks have a potent secondary scoring punch.
The momentum continued in the 4th quarter and an 8-0 Sea-Hawks run to open the period cut the deficit to 6. SMU showed some frustration, accumulating fouls away from the basket. Down the stretch, however, Saint Mary's revealed their impressive team depth and proved why they are top of the table in the AUS. #14 Lucina Beaumont stepped up in a big way, scoring 12 second half points towards. She finished with 16 points and 11 boards, a stat line matched by Memorial's Alana Short. The Huskies closed the match on a 15-0 run to record a 75-54 victory. Courtney Donaldson pitched in 15, while Gasgoine had 14 points and 7 rebounds. Hannah Greene had herself a night, finishing with a game-high 20 points.
It was senior night at the Fieldhouse as Memorial celebrated the careers of Claire Hickman, Rebecka Ekstrom, Hannah Green, Erin Long, and Alana Short.
Sea-Hawks fans and the basketball community alike enjoyed their last glimpses of Short on home court. The perennial all-star has dominated the Fieldhouse's hardwood since her November 2018 debut. She has consistently etched her name in the record books throughout the journey, and will be remember as one of the very best to ever do in Sea-Hawks red and white. She is Memorial's leader and will be ready to marshal her team into next weekend's AUS championships.
Memorial will now face the Acadia Axewomen in Friday's AUS quarter final at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax. The regular season series was spilt 1-1 between these 2 foes. The AUS Basketball championships can be watched live at austv.ca