REDS Advance To AUS Title Game

(HALIFAX, NS) The UNB REDS will play for the Atlantic University Sport women's basketball championship, in Halifax, on Sunday.

The REDS advanced to the conference title game with a 72-52 victory over the STFX X-Women in Saturday's semi-final.

Ann Bastien led the REDS with 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists. She was named the Boston Pizza Player of the Game.

The REDS, very quickly, opened an early 8-0 lead before allowing the X-Women to storm back with seven straight points.

UNB then rode balanced scoring to a 15-10 first quarter lead.

UNB continued to build on their lead in the second quarter, going up by 11, at 28-17, mid-way through.

Back-to-back three-point baskets by Bastien and Katie McAffee pushed the REDS' lead to a dozen.

They'd tack on more to lead 40-26 at the half-time break.

The third quarter saw the REDS extend their advantage to 20 points, at 53-33, but a short run by the X-Women cut that to 18, 55-37, after 30 minutes.

Relentless at both ends of the court, the REDS pushed their lead to 23 points early in the fourth quarter on route to their 20-point margin of victory, 72-52.

Zoe Olscamp came off the REDS bench to score 10 points and grab five steals. McAffee finished the game with nine points and five assists while Maheva Ngassam scored eight points and pulled down a dozen rebounds.

Alya White, off the STFX bench, led the X-Women with 12 points while Abby Mercer scored eight.

The REDS will face the winner of Saturday's second semi-final between Acadia and UPEI.

The conference championship game is scheduled for 1:00pm Sunday.

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB REDS

PHOTOS BY: Nick Pearce/for Atlantic University Sport