KINGSTON, Ont. (Feb. 28, 2023) - Queen's Women's Basketball are heading to their second straight OUA Critelli Cup Championship after defeating the TMU Bold 67-49 in front of a packed stands at the Athletics and Recreation Centre (ARC) Wednesday night.

After two close quarters in the first half, the Gaels opened the game up in the second half, outscoring TMU by seven points in the third quarter to increase their lead to double digits on their way to the 18-point win.

Julia Chadwick, who earlier in the day was named the OUA's Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-Star, finished with a monster double double in the win. Chadwick (Ottawa, Ont.) led all players with 25 points and 17 rebounds.

"It was a high stakes game, I think that fueled me and it fueled the team," Chadwick said after the game. "We played really well together and off of each other and I think that's how we ended up on top.

"One big factor is at the beginning of the season we set making nationals and going to the OUA Championship as a team goal and that was really the fuel that led us. All of our work throughout the season led to this moment and it was performing in the moment."

Laura Donovan (London, Ont.) also had a big game offensively for Queen's, finishing 16 points, including three big three-pointers in the win.

"It was a tough game. TMU have played in big games like that before and they came out tough and played us physical," Donovan said post-game. "We matched that physicality and we really wanted this for our team. I feel like we played a great team game, it really started from our defence."
 
The Gaels credited their team defence for the big win, holding the Bold to 30 per cent shooting from the floor, 15 per cent from three-point range, and just 50 points.

"We talked a lot about our defence and how locked in our defence needed to be, how much we needed to defend the three-point line, and I thought we did a great job of that," Meadows said after the game. "When you hold a team to 49 points, you're putting yourself in a good position to win a basketball game."

Bridget Mulholland (Kingston, Ont.) was strong defensively for Queen's, grabbing 12 rebounds to go with four points in the win.

"It takes 12 players to win at this point in the season, and obviously we're playing more players than others, but everyone on our team has bought in to what we're doing and they show up everyday, one through 12, and everyone shows up with a great attitude and puts in the work. And that has allowed us to get to this point, and that has allowed us to be successful to this points." - Claire Meadow, Queen's Women's Basketball Head Coach
 

Wednesday's win was played in front of a packed and loud ARC Main Gym. Chadwick, Donovan, and Meadows credited the fans for bringing the energy in their win.

"It was really awesome," Chadwick said. "That support really makes a difference in the energy on court."

"It was awesome, we played in front of crowds like that last year but to see everyone come out again and continue to support us was amazing," Donovan echoed. "It was really loud in there, which was awesome. I really felt the energy and I felt like that pushed us forward to continue even when it was a physical game."

"I said particularly to the four that are graduating, 'what an incredible atmosphere to have for your final game,'" Meadows continued. "But this is bigger than basketball, and a lot of those people in [that locker room] have been around for a long time and they've inspired a community. To be able to play in front of a crowd like that in their last home game, just goes to show the support that they've generated and what they've done for the community."

The Gaels will now travel to Ottawa, Ont. to take on the No. 1 seed Carleton Ravens, who won the other OUA semifinals game, 75-51 over the Ottawa Gee-Gees.

Queen's fell to the Ravens in last year's OUA Critelli Cup, 70-57. Meadows said the team is looking forward to the rematch.

"If we zoomed out at the beginning of the season as to what this would look like, this is the position that we wanted to be in. Carleton has kind of had our number the last little bit, but it's another game and I feel like we're making big steps in terms of playing them and how we need to play them. It's going to be another physical game. We'll be ready for them."