KINGSTON, Ont. (February 17, 2017)- The U SPORTS No. 5 ranked Queen's Gaels women's basketball team finished its regular season with a convincing victory over the visiting York Lions at the Athletics and Recreation Centre (ARC) on Friday evening.
 
With the victory, the Gaels clinch the top-seed in the conference and earn a bye through to the OUA quarter-finals next weekend. Their 18-1 regular season record is the best in program history.
 
Fifth-year seniors Emily Hazlett (Fredericton, N.B.), Robyn Pearson (Toronto), and Gemma Bullard (Guelph, Ont.) were honoured following the contest for the great contributions they made to the Gaels basketball program over their post-secondary tenure. Pearson finishes her regular season career as the fourth-highest rebounder in OUA women's basketball history, and the first overall in Queen's history with 866 rebounds.
 
Bridget Mulholland finished the game with a career-best 17 points and nine rebounds, while the graduates Hazlett (9), Pearson (8), and Bullard (7) combined for 24 points.  
 
GAME FLOW
The hosts quickly built a 10-point advantage midway through the period, as the Lions struggled to keep up with the Gaels pace and transition game. Queen's shot an impressive 54.5% in the opening quarter, and took a 26-12 lead into the second.
 
The Gaels continued to pour on the offense in the second stanza, going on a 10-3 run to push their lead to over 20. After the Lions went on a mini-rum to bring the lead down to 15, Queen's finished the half by scoring eight of the next 11 to take a commanding 44-24 lead at the break. The women maintained their offensive efficiency throughout the second half, spreading the lead to just under 30, before cruising through the final quarter of play to finish the season with a formidable 18-1 record.
 
The women finished the game with a 35.3% (30-85) field-goal percentage, compared to 33.3% (18-54) from York, and outrebounded the Lions 54-44.
 
FINAL SAY
"It's been a heck of a run," said head coach Dave Wilson. "When we came in the fall and put the lineup together, we knew something like this was possible. We saw the depth that we had and thought we could do some really great things and that's what we challenged our players to do. They responded exceptionally well."
 
"Getting home court advantage and having a bye is huge, despite the fact that we aren't too banged up. This conference is very tough. We'll find out who we play on Wednesday, but no matter what it is going to be a really difficult game. But I feel like we are in good shape both mentally and physically to be playing our best basketball when it counts the most."
 
BY THE NUMBERS
17- Mulholland's 17 points is a season and career high, as well as her nine rebounds
4- Pearson is ranked fourth in OUA women's basketball history
2- The Gaels rank second in the conference with an average of 73.7 points per game
 
UP NEXT
The race for the Critelli Cup begins for the Gaels next Saturday, when they will host a conference quarter-final match-up after securing a first-round bye as the top seed in the conference. Their opponent will be decided after the first round of games are completed mid-week.
 
A Gaels victory would mean hosting the OUA Final Four the following weekend at the ARC.