OTTAWA (Feb. 22, 2025) – Queen's Women's Basketball saw its 2025 Critelli Cup playoff run come to an end in the OUA quarterfinals, falling 71-52 to the Ottawa Gee-Gees at Montpetit Hall. Despite a strong defensive showing in the second half, a dominant first-half performance by Ottawa proved too much to overcome.
The Gaels entered the matchup looking to reverse their fortunes after dropping both regular-season meetings against the Gee-Gees. Queen's rolled out the same starting five as the previous game and focused on taking better care of the ball while creating high-percentage looks to compete with Ottawa's defensive pressure.
Ottawa struck first off the tip, but Queen's responded with back-to-back three-pointers from Ally Smith (Kinesiology) and Katrina Renon (Arts & Science) to take an early lead. Smith connected again from beyond the arc, pushing the Gaels to a perfect 3-for-3 start from deep. However, Ottawa countered with a surge of its own, taking a 17-16 lead late in the first quarter. Renon provided a crucial offensive rebound and putback to keep the deficit within one, as Queen's trailed 19-18 after 10 minutes.
The second quarter saw Ottawa tighten its grip on the game. McFarlane (Kinesiology) opened the frame by securing her own miss and finishing inside, but the Gaels struggled to generate consistent offense. Brooke Hussey (Kinesiology), who was held without a shot attempt in the first quarter, continued to make an impact by facilitating, recording four assists. Renon briefly gave Queen's the lead at the free-throw line, but Ottawa responded with a corner three and began to pull away.
With Queen's struggling to create open looks, Head Coach Claire Meadows called a timeout with the Gaels down 29-22. The break did little to slow Ottawa's momentum, as the Gee-Gees closed the half on a commanding run, extending their lead to 44-25 at halftime. Queen's needed to cut down on turnovers and find cleaner shot opportunities to mount a comeback.
The Gaels came out of the locker room with a renewed defensive effort, holding Ottawa scoreless for the first 4:30 of the third quarter. McFarlane made a strong move inside to open the second-half scoring, while Hussey followed with a drive of her own to get on the board. Despite limiting Ottawa to just nine points in the frame, Queen's was unable to make a significant dent in the deficit, entering the final quarter trailing 53-38.
With their season on the line, the Gaels looked to mount a fourth-quarter comeback. Renon continued her strong play, converting at the free-throw line to move to 8-for-8 from the stripe. Smith drilled a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 12 with six minutes remaining, momentarily shifting momentum in Queen's favor. However, Ottawa responded with a quick run to push its lead back to 18, halting any hopes of a late surge.
Renon finished the night delivering another efficient outing with a perfect night from the line. Smith provided a spark from beyond the arc, while McFarlane remained relentless on the glass throughout the game.
With the loss, Queen's season comes to an end in the OUA quarterfinals. Despite the setback, the Gaels conclude another competitive campaign, showing resilience and defensive tenacity throughout the year. The program now turns its attention to the offseason as it prepares for another strong push next season.
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