Queen's Women's Basketball returned to the ARC, ready to defend home court in a high-stakes quarterfinal against the York Lions.

The Gaels came out sharp in the first quarter, setting the tempo with crisp ball movement and disciplined defense. Both teams traded early buckets in a tight, physical opening frame, but Queen's made key stops down the stretch to take a 15–14 lead after 10 minutes.

In the second quarter, the Gaels' offence started to click. Bella Gaudet (Commerce) caught fire, knocking down jumpers and attacking the rim with precision, sparking a decisive scoring run. Her 12 first-half points helped Queen's break the game open, turning a close contest into a commanding 38–19 lead at halftime. The Gaels' fast-break opportunities and efficient interior scoring kept the Lions on their heels.

Queen's maintained control in the third quarter, with relentless pressure and balanced scoring extended their lead to 51–30 heading into the final frame.

In the fourth quarter, Queen's put the game away with a dominant close, scoring in transition and crashing the boards to seal a 74–48 victory.

Gaudet led all scorers with 19 points, showcasing her ability to finish both inside and out. Haley Barbieri (Arts & Sciences) chipped in 13 points, while Kiyara Letlow (Kinesiology) and Brooke Hussey (Kinesiology) added 10 points each in a balanced offensive attack. Queen's dominated the glass with 41 rebounds and controlled the paint, scoring 34 points inside.

With the win, Queen's moves on to the semi-finals in pursuit of OUA gold. The next matchup is set for Wednesday, February 25, against the Carleton Ravens, tip-off time is TBD. Fans can catch all the action live on OUA.TV as well as tickets available at gogaelsgo.com/tickets.