(CHARLOTTETOWN, PE) Reese Baxendale (Sussex, NB) made four straight free throws late in the game as the UPEI Panthers held off a furious fourth-quarter run by the UNB Reds and won 65-62, on Thursday night.

The game was originally scheduled for Friday, but moved to avoid issues with weather.

Down 18 after three quarters, the Reds outscored the home team 25-10 in the final 10 minutes and managed to get within one… twice.

"We lost focus and we got too comfortable," said Baxendale, who scored a game-high 26 points. "We need to bear down and finish these games strong." 

While disappointed with how his team played in the fourth quarter, Panthers head coach Matt Gamblin was proud to see his team stay composed down the stretch and keep the lead throughout the game.

"Having the resilience to come back and finish means a lot too," Gamblin said. "As much as it was scrambly, they weren't defeated and they found a way to keep fighting."

Baxendale got the offence going early, scoring seven of the Panthers' first 13 points, as they led 13-4. UPEI carved up the Reds' defen(ce with great passes at the basket, where they found most of their success. After 10 minutes of action, UPEI held a 22-12 advantage.

Early in the second, Mikaela Dodig (Bolton, ON) buried a midrange jumper to cap off a 7-4 run which trimmed the deficit to 26-19, forcing UPEI to call a timeout. Dodig finished with a team-high 16 points, while fellow starter Eva Tumwine (Fredericton, NB) had 14.

Up six with 3:18 to play in the second, the Panthers went on a 7-0 run on a series of layups to push the lead to 36-23.

The home team went into the break up 41-27.

"The first half was probably the best she's ever played," Gamblin said of his third-year guard.

In a low scoring third, the Reds cut it to as few as 12, but the Panthers closed the quarter with three straight layups to stay in front 55-37.

"The first three quarters is how we want to play the rest of the season. And if we play like that, I think we're going to be successful," Baxendale said.

The Reds opened the fourth with a huge 10-0 run to pull within eight. Defensively, they were just as strong, holding the Panthers scoreless for close to five minutes before Jenna Mae Ellsworth (Charlottetown, PE) drove hard to the basket for two of her 13 points. 

Bailey Black (Miramichi, NB) was a spark off UNB's bench and put up seven straight points to cut the deficit to 59-56 with 2:53 remaining. They'd trim it to one twice after, but each time they did, Baxendale countered with clutch free throws to close out the 65-62 win.

The Panthers have five road games left on their schedule. The first one is set for Saturday night, at Acadia. The Reds head to Antigonish to face the St FX X-Women, on Saturday.

RECAP BY: Thomas Becker/for UPEI Athletics

PHOTOS BY: Janessa Hogan/for UPEI Athletics