(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS scored a 73-61 win over the Memorial Sea-Hawks on Sunday afternoon, at UNB's Richard J. Currie Center.
The win was UNB's fourth straight to start the 2022-23 Atlantic University Sport season.
"It felt good. It felt like the game went on for a long time, but a win is a win," said REDS' guard Kylee Speedy (Fredericton, NB), named Subway Player of the Game. "Towards the end, they kind of cut into the lead and we couldn't handle their pressure at the end, but it's important to be able to win tough and I'd say that second half was leaning towards a bit tough."
Speedy led the REDS, scoring 16 points.
Both teams struggled in the opening minutes, neither side able to score a basket until just before the two-minute mark, when the REDS got a ball to drop.
The teams went back and forth through the next eight minutes, trading the lead.
The Sea-Hawks led 15-13 at the end of the first.
The game remained close in the second quarter.
Marley Curwin (Halifax, NS) scored a three-point basket just past the six-minute mark to pull the REDS even, 23-23.
Speedy hit two free throws and Katie McAffee (Lower Knoxford, NB) scored a three-point shot as UNB went up 28-24, late in the quarter.
Speedy struck again, in the final seconds, with a nice spin move off a Sea-Hawks defender, as UNB outscored Memorial 20-12 in the second to lead 33-27 at the half.
The REDS continued to dominate in the third quarter, extending their lead to as much as 16 points.
A feisty Sea-Hawks team kept pushing but were hindered by turnovers.
UNB led 57-38 through three quarters.
That deficit was too much for the visitors to overcome and the REDS improved to 4-and-0, thanks to their 73-61 victory.
"We just didn't come to play this weekend," said Memorial's Alana Short (Barrie, ON). "Our shooting was not good, and we didn't respond on defence. We let UNB do whatever they wanted on defence and offence wasn't going our way either. I thought it was a tough showing for us this weekend."
Short led the Sea-Hawks with a game-high 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Alyssa Jenkins (St. John's, NL) came off the Memorial bench to score 12.
Curwin finished the day with 12 points for UNB, while Jayda Veinot (Port Williams, NS) and Katie Butts (Ottawa, ON) each had 10.
Leah Travers (Calgary, AB) went 3-for-4 from three-point range, scoring nine.
"It wasn't the prettiest game we've played, but on the quick turnaround it was good," said Speedy. "We got the win, and it was gritty, and it feels good to be 4-and-0."
With the loss, the Sea-Hawks are now 1-and-3.
"It's disappointing, because we have high expectations for our team," said Short. "We have a full season ahead of us, so we have to learn from this, early on, take things from it and we play UNB again before playoffs, so it'll be good to build and improve from here."
Memorial returns home and will host Dalhousie on Saturday.
The REDS next action is Friday, when they visit Saint Mary's for a 6:00pm start.
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics