Gaiters clash with Citadins in crucial RSEQ home-and-home

One game at a time is what Bishop’s Gaiters women’s basketball head coach Craig Norman is stressing to his team on the eve of the front end of a home-and-home weekend series with the UQAM Citadins. At 2-3, Bishop’s sits four points ahead UQAM for the final RSEQ playoff spot. The teams will play their second and third match-ups of the year, Thursday in Montreal at 6 p.m. and Saturday in Lennoxville at 6 p.m.

Last time Out

Bishop’s (2-3 RSEQ, 9-6) was scheduled to play in Quebec City last Friday night, however mother nature decided it wasn’t a night for basketball and forced the game to be postponed (a make-up date has not been announced yet). Prior to that game Bishop’s posted a 2-0 record in the Christmas tournament they hosted when they beat UNB and Ryerson.

UQAM (0-6 RSEQ, 5-11) opened 2018 with a pair of losses to No.2 Mcgill. They fell 65-56 at home and 61-52 at Mcgill. However, for her efforts former league MVP and four-time RSEQ all-star Jessica Lubin seemingly found her game for the Citadins. She was named RSEQ female athlete of the week after scoring 19 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the first contest and backing it up with 14 points and nine rebounds in game two.

Game One This Year

These two teams opened the 2017-18 regular season in Mitchell Gym with Bishop’s winning 78-61 in convincing fashion. The Gaiters controlled the game from the start on the heels of Edith Noblecilla’s 19 points. Mara Marchizotti chipped in with 16 points, Ashley Milhomme had 14 and Maude Archambault rounded out the Gaiters in double figures with 11. Freshman Marieevrardine Berrouette made her presence felt with 14 rebounds.

For UQAM Lubin scored 14 and grabbed 15 rebounds while Sarah Cabana chalked up 14 points and Alexe Dufresne tallied 10.

Leading Ladies Bishop’s

Ashley Milhomme is currently in 7th in the RSEQ in scoring at 13.4 points per game

Mara Marchizotti is the conference’s 3rd best rebounder with 8.6 per game, she’s also 11th in scoring at 11 points per game and second in blocks (1.6 per game)

Marie-evrardine Berrouette is 5th in the RSEQ in field goal percentage at 46.7 percent and 10th from the charity stripe converting at 70.6 percent

Edith Noblecilla is by far the top assist-getter in the conference with 5.2 per game that places her third in all of U SPORTS

Stand-up

These two contests could go a long way in determining the stretch run for the RSEQ playoffs. Bishop’s currently sits in fourth place at 2-3 while UQAM is in fifth at 0-6. The Gaiters have topped UQAM once already in the race to qualify for the post season (top four). Mcgill is in first at 5-1, Concordia second at 3-1 but has two games in-hand and Laval sits in third at 3-2. Bishop’s and Laval have split their to games to-date.

Coach’s Corner

“UQAM might be the best 0-6 team in the history of U SPORTS,” said Norman. “They are in every game, they are tough as nails, and their backs are up against the wall. We will take this one game at a time. We know Thursday night is going to be a war; it is going to be a chess match.

“It is a bit of concern that we haven’t played since our tournament. We were ready to go on Friday night; we were sharp. In the first quarter of the game on Thursday night, we will have to find our game legs and adjust to playing in the intensity of the Quebec conference.

“What we did well in our Christmas tournament is not think about the outcome but more about the process. Obviously, these are big games but every game in our conference is a playoff game. These games are like any other, we will approach them the same way.”

Next Up

After the home-and-home with the Citadins, Bishop’s will again find themselves in a back-to-back, this time with the Concordia Stingers. On Thursday, Jan. 18 the team’s tip-off in Montreal and Saturday, Jan. 20 in Mitchell Gym. Both games start at 6 p.m.