ACADIA

Acadia remains undefeated after win over UNB, Axemen downed by Reds

There’s plenty of Acadia sports action.

The UNB Varsity Reds held the country’s number one team in check for more than three quarters.

But, the U SPORTS No. 1 ranked Acadia Axewomen surged into the lead midway through the fourth quarter and never relinquished it.

Acadia’s Paloma Anderson, who currently leads the AUS in points per game with 18.7, scored 16 of her 22 points in the Axewomen’s second half come-back.

The Varsity Reds led by three after one quarter and stretched that to a 33-24 lead at the half, but the Axewomen were a different team in the second, as Acadia’s shooting improved dramatically in the third and fourth quarters.

“We had to take a deep breath,” said Acadia’s Chanel Smith. “We didn’t have a lot of shots falling in the first half. We had to trust ourselves and trust our shots. That was the main thing in the second.”

Smith, who earned the Player of the Game for the Axewomen, scored 11 points, while teammate Alexandra Berry had 17.

“We know UNB is a really good team, we weren’t surprised,” said Smith. “Every time we come here we have a good game with them.”

Acadia outscored UNB 26-14 in the fourth quarter, earning their eighth win in eight Atlantic University Sport games.

The Varsity Reds are now 5-4 through nine games.

UNB men defeat Acadia

Newcomer Cooper Wilks came off the bench to score 16 points, leading the Varsity Reds in an 80-67 win over the visiting Acadia Axemen.

Ogot Ogot, another new addition to the Varsity Reds line-up, scored 14 points, as did fifth-year forward Dylan Baker.

Senior Acadia guard Ben Miller scored a game high 18 points to lead the Axemen, while New Brunswick native Erik Nissen added 15 before fouling out.

“We didn’t play a great first half, but hung around and then we had some chances, we knocked on the door in the second, but couldn’t get over that hump to put some pressure on them,” said Axemen head coach Kevin Duffie.

The Varsity Reds led by four after the first quarter, and extended their lead to 40-32 at the half.

Playing without fifth-year standout guard Javon Masters, serving a one game suspension, UNB held off the charging Axemen in the third quarter before pulling away in the fourth.

UNB’S bench scored 53 points, while Acadia’s bench contributed just 12.

“They played well. They got tons of production off the bench,” said Duffie.

With the win, UNB is now 8-1 and in first place in the AUS standings, while Acadia falls to 6-2 - good for third place.

The Axemen and Axewomen will take on STFX in Antigonish this week before returning home against the X-men and X-women on Jan. 13 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

ANDY CAMPBELL, UNB SPORTS INFORMATION OFFICER First-year Axeman Brett Speedy keeps his eye on the action against the UNB Varsity Reds. Speedy, a Fredericton native, had a bit of a family reunion while on the road with Acadia – his father coaches the UNB women’s basketball team.