WEEKEND RECAP: #3 Gee-Gees down Laurentian and Nipissing on the road

The U SPORTS third-ranked Gee-Gees women's basketball team logged two road wins against division foes on the road in Sudbury and North Bay this weekend. 

The Gee-Gees first showed their offensive power in a 97-72 win over Laurentian, before closing the trip with a 74-59 over Nipissing. 

JAN. 10 AT LAURENTIAN

Though the game ended in a lopsided win for the Gee-Gees, the Voyageurs battled valiantly in the early goings. Laurentian led for the first four minutes of the first quarter, before Ottawa's offence got settled and pulled ahead to secure a 25-16 lead after the first frame. 

The Gee-Gees were able to show their ability to score in bunches as they scored 32 points in the third quarter. The lead built the foundation for what grew to as many as a 30-point lead late in the fourth quarter. 

Laurentian turned the ball over 27 times, which the Gee-Gees converted into 25 points. Though both teams shot at a significant clip, Ottawa's 12 three-pointers helped propel them to the 25-point win. 

The Gee-Gees had four players scoring in double-figures, including three starters. The team was boosted by their bench unit chipping in 32 points on the night. Brigitte Lefebvre-Okankwu led the way with 20 points, eight rebounds, and three steals, while Brooklynn McAlear-Fanus posted a 19-point, 10-assist double-double. Katherine Follis and Natsuki Szczokin both added 14 points each in the win.

JAN. 11 AT NIPISSING

Earning their seventh consecutive win, the Gee-Gees were in a tougher matchup against the Nipissing Lakers to close the weekend. Though the Lakers never lead in the game, they were tenacious throughout, pushing the Gee-Gees to earn the second win of the road trip.

Ottawa set the tone by pulling ahead to an early 11-5 lead through the mid-way point of the first frame. They held off a late second quarter charge by the Lakers to hold a more modest seven-point lead. 

Behind the play of Lefebvre-Okankwu, the Gee-Gees turned up the pressure in the second half to put the game away. The third-year forward's 28 points on the night was her highest total since the 2017-18 season in a 29-point effort against Toronto.

Overall, the Gee-Gees had three players in double-figures with Lefebvre-Okankwu adding seven rebounds to her outstanding offensive performance. McAlear-Fanus added her second double-double of the weekend with 13 points and 10 rebounds, to go along with five assists and three steals. Fifth-year centre Angela Ribarich added 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench in the win. 

UP NEXT 

The Gee-Gees will return home to face Queen's and Ontario Tech on Jan. 17 and 18. Tickets are available online at tickets.geegees.ca and both games will be streaming live on OUA.tv.