(HALIFAX, NS) The Dalhousie Tigers defeated the UNB REDS 72-62 in men's Atlantic University Sport basketball action on Saturday night, in Halifax.
The game began with both teams defending hard.
As the teams began sinking shots, it was the Tigers getting out to an 11-7 lead, capped by a nice three-point shot by Malcolm Christie (Fredericton, NB).
Vegas Evans (Brampton, ON) would respond for UNB with a three of his own to keep it close and Eden Otshudi (Hamilton, ON) hit another three with under a minute left, only to be matched by Benjamin Gory (Mont de Marsan, FRA) for an exciting end to the first quarter and an 18-15 Dal lead.
The REDS would start the second hot, as Otshudi hit an open three to tie it 18-18.
UNB continued to see baskets drop as Norm Burry (Grafton, NB) hit another three as the REDS took the lead and pushed it to 29-23.
The Tigers did not go down without a fight though, taking a 33-32 lead to halftime.
In the third quarter, Dal picked up where they left the second.
Samuel Maillet (Moncton, NB) slammed down two points as the home team extended their lead to 42-34.
Malik Grant (Brampton, ON) hit a pull-up jumper to get UNB back within seven, but Joshua Koulamallah (Gatineau, QC) responded right away with a nice under-the-basket move to make it 48-39 Dal heading to the final quarter of play.
UNB's Jeven Eddy (Ajax, ON) started the fourth quarter strong, dropping a shot to cut the lead to seven points.
Marcus Barnes (Kitchener, ON) kept it going with a clean three to make it a five-point game, at 55-50 with seven minutes to play.
Christie would halt UNB's momentum with a three-point basket before putting an exclamation point on his strong night by smashing home a bucket off a pass from Maillet to seal the 72-62 victory for the Tigers.
Christie ended the night with 30 points and four rebounds, earning Subway Player of the Game.
The Tigers improve to 9-6 and are back in action, against Acadia, in Wolfville, on Friday.
The REDS fall to 5-9 and will look to rebound against the Panthers, at UPEI, on Thursday, in a game originally scheduled for January 13th, but postponed due to weather.
RECAP BY: Ryan Hyndman/for Dal Athletics
PHOTOS BY: Trevor MacMillan/for Dal Athletics