ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — The UPEI Panthers can clinch first place in the Atlantic University Sport women’s basketball conference with a win today in St. John’s, N.L.
UPEI (16-3) enters today’s four-point game with the Memorial Sea-Hawks with 42 points, four back of the conference-leading Acadia Axewomen (16-4, 46 points) and four up on Memorial (13-6, 38). The top two teams earn byes into the semifinal at the conference championships, Feb. 28-March 1 in Halifax.
The first tiebreaker is head-to-head record with Acadia and UPEI splitting their two games. The second tiebreaker is point differential in the head-to-head meetings with UPEI holding the advantage thanks to a 19-point victory on Jan. 4.
UPEI defeated the Sea-Hawks 91-72 Friday night in St. John’s in their first meeting of the season.
The visitors jumped out to a 35-22 lead after one quarter and increased it to 49-34 at the half and 71-50 heading to the fourth.
Jenna Mae Ellsworth and Reese Baxendale each scored 32 points while Lauren Fleming had 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Ellsworth added eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks while Baxendale had seven assists, five rebounds and two steals. Baxendale hit all 12 of her free throws.
Rookie Lauren Rainford chipped in 12 points and five rebounds.
Haillie Nickerson had 25 points and eight rebounds to pace Memorial while Sammi Deakin-Sharpe had 13 pints and Alana Short 11.
Today’s game begins at 11:30 a.m. Atlantic in St. John’s.
Men
Boris Ristanovic had 20 points and nine rebounds to lead the Sea-Hawks to a 87-76 victory over the Panthers in the men’s game.
Cole Long had 17 points in the victory while Nathan Barker and Jason Thompson each chipped in 13 as Memorial held 23-18, 45-40 and 66-56 quarter leads.
Elijah Miller had a team-high 15 points on 5-for-12 shooting for the Panthers. Emmanuel Ndatuje and rookie Glen Cox each had 14 points while Jamesley Jerome chipped in 12 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. The Panthers went 17-for-18 at the free-throw line.
Memorial (7-12) can clinch the final playoff berth with a win today. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m. Atlantic. The Sea-Hawks are two points back of Acadia, but today’s contest is worth four points in the standings. UPEI (3-16) will miss the playoffs for the fourth straight year.
