X-Women drop close 73-71 game to Huskies

HALIFAX, NS – Saint Mary's wing Kalli Georgoulias scored nine points in the fourth quarter to help lift the Saint Mary's Huskies to a 73-71 win over the STFX X-Women in Atlantic University Sport women's basketball action on Friday night at the Homburg Centre.

The X-Women opened up a 6-2 lead on back-to-back threes from guards Kristine Cooper and Lauren Neeve. But the Huskies tightened up defensively, and a last second three from wing Angong Jacob gave Saint Mary's a 12-10 lead after the opening quarter.

Jacob picked up where she left off, hitting a three to open the second quarter, followed by first year guard Ally McLean hitting a three to make it 18-10. But the X-Women responded with a 16-4 run, with a three from Ava MacNutt putting them ahead 26-22.

A pair of free-throws from Molly Healy, followed by a lay-in from Angong Jacob tied the score at 26-26 heading into halftime.

Jacob and Emily Dikdan paced the Huskies with eight points a piece in the first half, while Shannon Neita led STFX with seven points and four rebounds.

The Huskies hot shooting continued into the third quarter, with three-pointers from Jacob and wing Georgoulias putting SMU ahead 32-28. Jacob continued to set the tone, with another three followed by a free-throw extending the Huskies lead to 45-32.

But STFX came back again, scoring 12 straight points, including five from guard Mali Straker to cut the lead to 45-44. Saint Mary's closed the quarter strong, with a trio of Jacob free-throws, followed by a buzzer-beating lay-in from Dikdan extending the host's lead to 50-44 through three quarters of play.

The back-and-forth continued with Abby Mercer and Cooper hitting back-to-back threes to tie the score at 50-50. MacNutt and Georgoulias exchanged threes, and Georgoulias hit another from deep to put the Huskies ahead 56-55, but Straker responded with a three of her own, followed by a Neita lay-up to put STFX up four.

With the two teams tied at 62-62, Jacob hit a three-pointer, followed by a jumper to extend the lead to 67-63, but Cooper answered with a personal five-point run to restore the X-Women 68-67 lead. That's when Georgoulias hit her third three of the quarter to put SMU ahead 70-68.

STFX tied it again with a put-back lay-in from Straker, before Dikdan was fouled with 19 seconds remaining, hitting both free-throws to put the Huskies ahead 72-70. Molly Healy and X-Women guard Ella Brazier exchanged single free-throws, and the time ran out on the X-Women with the Huskies holding on for the close 73-71 victory.

Georgoulias was named Player of the Game for the Huskies, scoring all 17 of her points in the second half.

Jacob led all scorers with 23 points and added three steals and two blocks, while Dikdan chipped in 18 points and eight rebounds, and Healy dished out 11 assists.

The X-Women were led by a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double from Neita, while Cooper added 15 points and seven assists off the bench. MacNutt and Straker also provided double figures scoring for STFX with 11 and 10 points respectively.

The Huskies win snaps a five game losing streak, improving their record to 3-5 on the campaign. Saint Mary's will look to keep the momentum rolling on home court on Saturday, Nov. 22, as they host the Acadia Axewomen (6-3) at 6 p.m. at the Homburg Centre.

The X-Women loss drops their record to 6-2 on the season. STFX will return to home court on Saturday, Nov. 22, as they host the UPEI Panthers (5-3) at 6 p.m. in Antigonish.

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Recap by Allan April / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics
Photos by Mona Ghiz / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics