Vikes give Ravens a scare before bowing out
The Carleton Ravens are ranked No. 1 in the land while the University of Victoria Vikes are only in as host. But there’s a reason they play the games. An amusing sign held up in the raucous CARSA gym on Thursday night read: “Trump won LOL.”
Political history did not repeat itself in a basketball manner on Ken and Kathy Shields Court, however, but it wasn't for lack of trying by the feisty Vikes. The top-ranked Ravens defeated UVic 77-66 in the quarter-finals of the 2017 U Sports national women’s championship tournament before a boisterous capacity crowd in CARSA gym.
The overwhelming underdog Vikes, jittery early, fell behind what seemed like a couple of converted touchdowns before rallying to take a 37-30 at the half amid a thunderous din.
Vikes coach Dani Sinclair described Carleton as a “classic playoff-type team” that plays defence and rebounds, and that is exactly what the Ravens turned out to be in the second half. They can also hit a lethal three-ball when needed. Catherine Traer led Carleton with 23 points and Jenna Krug with 18 and Kristy Gallagher with 14 for UVic.
“We had our chances,” said Sinclair.
“The Ravens are obviously a great team and they capitalized on our dry spell in the third quarter. They have a great defence and took us out of our stuff. And they got easy shots and took the momentum. We got it to within six in the fourth quarter but it didn’t turn out our way. But this was a great atmosphere and I am proud of our players.”
Elizabeth Leblanc was named Carleton’s player of the game and shooting-guard Krug for the Vikes as an old dynasty met new dynasty. The Ravens have become the program that devoured Canadian university basketball. That used to be the Godzilla-like role of UVic, winner of a combined 17 women’s and men’s national championships.
Carleton, whose men’s team has won six consecutive Canadian championships and 12 of the last 14, now might have a women’s team to match. The Raven women, who last weekend won their first Ontario championship, came into the national tournament not only ranked No. 1 but on a 20-game winning streak. Make that 21. But it wasn’t easy.
The quarter-final victory over the Vikes was the first in the history of Carleton women’s hoops at the national tournament after going winless in two previous appearances.
The Vikes were 12-8 in the Canada West regular season and 3-2 in the playoffs.
The third-ranked Queen’s Gaels also opened the national tournament with a massive scare Thursday against the Atlantic-champion and sixth-seed Cape Breton. The Capers led by nine before Queen’s rallied for a 60-51 victory.
There will be a new U Sports champion after the Canada West and defending national-champion Saskatchewan Huskies, guided by Canadian Rio Olympic team head coach Lisa Thomaidis, were felled 69-59 by the seventh-seed wildcard-entry Laval Rouge et Or in the second quarter-final of the day.
The Quebec-champion McGill Martlets, ranked fourth, defeated the Canada West runner-up and wildcard fifth-seed Regina Cougars 72-62.
The consolation side plays tonight with Saskatchewan meeting Cape Breton at 6 p.m. and the Vikes taking on Regina in an allCanada West matchup at 8 p.m.
The semifinals are Saturday with Queen’s meeting Laval at 2 p.m. and Carleton playing McGill at 4 p.m. The bronze-medal game is Sunday at 10 a.m. and the championship game at 1 p.m.
The semifinals and final are nationally broadcast on Sportsnet 360.