(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS improved to 2-and-0 at their 2022 Helen Campbell Memorial Tournament, scoring a 96-74 preseason win over the University of Manitoba Bisons.
"We kept getting a good lead and they'd would cut it, but I think we stayed composed every time and just kept pushing our lead and getting it to almost 20 in the end," said REDS' second year guard Kylee Speedy (Fredericton, NB). "I thought it was good that we weren't letting up when they came back. We never panicked."
The REDS exploded out of the gate, building leads of 10-2 and 19-12 before the Bisons came to life.
The REDS led 26-17 after one quarter.
The Bisons closed the gap to just five points in the second, before a REDS surge.
Jennifer Nkuah (Brampton, ON) scored back-to-back buckets to push the REDS lead back to nine, at 34-25, and Jayda Veinot (Port Williams, NS) added three on an 'and 1' play to make it a 46-37 game and prompting a Manitoba timeout.
UNB led 53-40 at the half.
A third quarter push by the Bisons saw the REDS lead shrink to four, 60-56.
Speedy then sunk a three-pointer, with less than two minutes remaining in the quarter, to put the REDS up 65-56.
The home team pulled away in the final quarter, winning 96-74.
Speedy led the way for the REDS with 20 points. She was named Stewart-McKelvey Player of the Game.
"We just have confidence," she said. "We know all 13 players here are really strong players, so we each have confidence in ourselves and the other 12 on the team."
Veinot posted an impressive stat line, scoring 16 points and adding seven assists and eight rebounds.
Katie McAffee (Lower Knoxford, NB) scored 17 points, and Katie Butts (Ottawa, ON) had eight points and a dozen rebounds.
Lauren Bartlett (Winnipeg, MB) led Manitoba scorers, dropping 16 points and grabbing eight rebounds and five steals.
Emily Johnson (Winnipeg, MB) chipped in 11 points and six rebounds.
Speedy says the REDS' confidence is more than just the normal excitement over the start of a new season.
"We had it from September 3rd, when training camp started," she said. "We came in and were intense from the start, with confidence and holding each other accountable and that hasn't let up since, so I can't see it letting up in the future."
Earlier on Saturday, the Cape Breton Capers beat the McGill Martlets 64-57.
The Campbell Tournament concludes Sunday.
The Bisons take on the McGill, at 10:00am, while the REDS face AUS rivals, the Capers in a 2:00pm tip-off. The winner of that game will be crowned tournament champions.
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics