AUS | Men's and women's teams lose to St. FX, face Cape Breton in Sydney
University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds and Cape Breton Capers will meet in a showdown that will decide the regular-season champion in the Atlantic University Sport women's basketball conference.
Each team has 40 points heading into tonight's regular-season finale.
Cape Breton moved into a tie with a four-point 89-63 victory over the winless University of Prince Edward Island Panthers last night in Sydney. The victory pushed the Capers mark to 15-4 and 40 points.
The V-Reds, who beat the Capers 71-68 last weekend at the UNB main gym, lost 98-69 to St. Francis Xavier X-Women last night in Antigonish, N.S. to drop to 14-5 and 40 points. The X-Women improved to 36 points with its 13th victory against six losses. They host UPEI today.
The V-Reds fell behind early, score was 23-10 at the end of the first quarter, and that was basically it against the X-Women. St. FX led 43-28 at the half and 75-45 at the end of three quarters.
Shereyl Chisholm led X with 35 points while Ashley Stephen added 16 points. Kirsten Jones had 14 points and 13 rebounds while Canesha McKenzie added 11 points and Donisha Young contributed 10 points for the winners.
Leah Corby led UNB with 16 while Amanda Sharpe and Claire Colborne each managed 12 for the V-Reds. Melissa Forster added nine.
Kari Everett and Denisha Haywood each had 18 points leading the way for Cape Breton over UPEI. Tanira McClurkin and Jahlien Kirnon each had 11 points. Amy Gough led UPEI with 12 points while Jenna Jones added 10.
While the UNB women vie for top spot, the men's team out of UNB still has yet to wrap up a playoff spot. And losing 87-77 last night to St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Antigonish won't help their cause. UNB has 20 points tied with Saint Mary's for fourth place. UPEI Panthers are sixth with 18 points after losing 79-70 to the conference leading Cape Breton Capers last night in Sydney.
The critcal team for UNB is Acadia. The Axemen have 14 points but they've got a pair of four-pointers against sad sack Memorial SeaHawks, 3-15, today and Sunday in Wolfville. That's a potential eight points for Acadia. Meanwhile, UNB has to play Cape Breton, 18-1, today in Sydney. They need for St. FX to beat UPEI today or Saint Mary's to lose to third place Dalhousie Tigers today in Halifax.
Christian Upshaw had 27 points and Will Silver added 25 leading the X-Men over UNB last night. Terry Thomas added 14 points for the X-Men, who led by just one point, 31-30, at the half but outscored UNB 56-43 in the second half.
Fifth-year Andrew Wright had a huge game for UNB with 28 points while William McFee chipped in with 18. Colton Wilson had 11 rebounds while Alex DesRoches hauled down 10 for UNB. Paris Carter and Jimmy Dorsey each had 15 points for the Capers over UPEI. Phil Nkrumah had 14.