RECAP: Ottawa closes regular season with key wins at #3 Queen’s and Ontario Tech

The Gee-Gees women's basketball team closed the regular season with two key wins, logging a 74-71 victory over #3 Queen's and 81-28 win over Ontario Tech on Friday and Saturday respectively. 

On Friday, Ottawa defeated Queen's in Kingston, controlling the game throughout, the Gee-Gees fended off a late Queen's push to secure a key win over their rival Gaels.

Led by a 23-point effort on 7-13 shooting from the field, Natsuki Szczokin was dominant in the backcourt. In the paint, rookie forward Victoria Brideau impressed with 13 points and five rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench.

With Queen's reclaiming the lead with less than a minute left, fourth-year guard Ariane Saumure hit a clutch three-pointer to put the Gee-Gees back ahead. With the shot, Saumure crossed the 1,000-point mark in her career between the Western Mustangs and Ottawa.

The following night against Ontario Tech, Ottawa closed the regular season with an emphatic effort defeating Ontario Tech by 53 points.

Brideau continued her outstanding weekend with another 13-point effort, adding eight rebounds in the win. Fellow first-year Bailey Russell had the hot hand from beyond the arc, hitting four of six three-pointers for 12 points to go along with seven rebounds. Szczokin added another 12 points in 20 minutes of action, while Alana Renon added 11 points and four rebounds. 

With the wins, the Gee-Gees closed the regular season with a 18-4 record and due to tie breakers will take the fifth seed in the OUA playoffs.

Ottawa will take on Laurentian in a first-round matchup at Montpetit Hall on Wednesday at 7 p.m. If the Gee-Gees are victorious, they will travel to Waterloo for a Saturday tilt with the Warriors.

Tickets for Wednesday's matchup are on sale at tickets.geegees.ca with the game streaming live on OUA.tv.