Concordia controlled the game from opening tip-off and cruised to an easy 69-32 victory
The Concordia Stingers hosted the Bishop’s Gaiters on Thursday night to start the second half of the basketball season. The Stingers came into the game with a record of 1-3 in Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) regular season. Concordia dominated the game from start to finish to get their second win of the season—an impressive 69-32 result. The Stingers played solid defense as they forced the Gaiters to commit 26 turnovers in the win. Stingers forward Richelle Gregoire scored 12 points and 14 rebounds in the win.
The Stingers started the first quarter with a bang when forward Marilyse Roy-Viau hit a three-pointer to score the game’s first basket. The Gaiters got their first points of the game with six minutes to go in the quarter when forward Mara Marchizotti drained a three. The Stingers led 24-3 after the first quarter and by then the game was already out of reach. Roy-Viau had 11 points—including three three-pointers—in the first quarter.
The Stingers started where they left off in the second quarter. Gregoire got the first point of the quarter on a free throw. The Stingers defense, combined with missed chances by Bishop’s, led to the Gaiters only scoring their first points of the quarter with five minutes to go. The Stingers entered halftime up 38-11.
As they had all game, the Stingers started the second half in complete control. This time, guard Daphne Thouin hit a three-pointer to start the scoring. Compared to the first two quarters, the Gaiters got their first points early with Marchizotti getting a basket just 30 seconds in. The Stingers continued their domination, going on a 9-point run midway through the third quarter. Concordia increased their lead to 33 points at end of the third quarter, bringing the game to 56-23.
The Gaiters scored the first points of the fourth quarter on two straight baskets by Marchizotti. Stingers guard Aurelie d’Anjou Drouin responded with a two-pointer of her own. By this time, both teams were just waiting for the final buzzer to sound.
Roy-Viau was the leading scorer in the game with 19 points. Viau is having an incredible season so far: she is ranked fifth in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) for points per a game with 19.4.
The Bishop’s Gaiters are the bottom dwellers of the conference this season with a record of 0-5.
Stingers head coach Keith Pruden believed that his team was over-confident going into the game, which showed through the 19 Concordia turnovers.
“We were lazy with ball control, plus when you are up 30 or 40 points and they get a breakaway it does not matter, this is a bad attitude to have,” said Pruden.
