Playing in their last game at the Dalplex for the 2015-16 season, the women’s b-ball Tigers dropped a nail biter 68-67 to the U.P.E.I Panthers in a four-point game. With the win the Panthers were able to jump over the Tigers for fifth place in the AUS.
The loss left the Tigers with a 6-13 record on the season. They hold the sixth and final playoff spot in the AUS with one game left to play. The Tigers have yet to win since leading scorer and team captain Tessa Stammberger was lost for the season with a broken arm at Memorial on Feb. 7.
The Tigers honoured graduating players Tessa Stammberger and Ainsley MacIntyre with a ceremony before the game. Both players were given gifts to commemorate their commitment to the Tigers.
The Panthers built a seven-point lead in the first quarter as they took the frame 17-10.
In the second the Panthers stretched their lead out to 18 points at 34-16 but the Tigers were able to rally.
MacIntyre made a layup with a foul and capitalized on the and-1 opportunity. Christina Brown and Shalyn Field each hit jumpers and then Diedre Alexander and Sophie Gaube hit back to back threes, as the Tigers finished the half on a 13-3 run.
The Panthers won the second 20-19 and took a 37-29 lead into the half.
The Tigers kept their hot hand coming out of the break with a vengeance. They were able to take the lead 47-45 on two Alexander free-throws with 3:16 left in the quarter. The Tigers won the fame 22-13 and carried a 51-50 lead into the fourth.
The fourth started as a back and forth affair with both teams exchanging buckets. MacIntyre made another hold fashioned three-point play to make it 59-58 Panthers with 5:16 remaining.
From there, the Panthers built an eight-point lead at 68-10 with 3:03 left in the game.
The Tigers put in a valiant effort to rally one more time. Sarah Preston-Thomas hit a jumper, Gaube drilled a three and then Michaela Barresi made a layup to make it 68-68-67 with 0:30 left. That was the end of the scoring for the game and the Tigers comeback bid fell just short.
Gaube led the Tigers with 15PTS off the bench. MacIntyre and Alexander recorded double-doubles with 14PTS, 10REB and 13PTS, 11AST respectively. Barresi chipped in with 11PTS.
The Tigers travel to Cape Breton to play the Capers on Fri. Feb. 26 in the final game of the regular season. If the Tigers win the game they are in the playoffs. They will also make it if StFX loses one of their two games against Memorial on Feb. 26-27.
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