RECAP: Szczokin flirts with record, #8 women’s basketball dominates first round
Natsuki Szczokin recorded the most points in a playoff game by a Gee-Gee this century as the eighth-ranked women's basketball team cruised to a 101-52 victory over the Laurentian Voyageurs Wednesday evening at Montpetit Hall.
The win advances Ottawa to the OUA Quarterfinals where they'll travel to take on the Waterloo Warriors Saturday evening.
Ottawa led for all but 90 seconds Wednesday, their dominant form aided by shooting 54 percent from the field and 52 percent from beyond the arc.
Szczokin, who was the named the U SPORTS Women's Basketball Player of the Week earlier in the day, put up 29 total points, 10 rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block.
The only players to record more points in a single playoff game were Coleen Dufresne (40 in 1975) and Stella Ighorewo (34 in 1994). An extended list of single-game scoring in playoff matchups can be found below.
Three additional Gee-Gees were into double figures – Oksana Gouchie-Provencher (16), Brianna Iannazzo (13 off the bench) and Emily Payne (10). Gouchie-Provencher also chipped in with seven rebounds.
It was the second time Ottawa broke 100 points this season, having previously done so against Ontario Tech on Jan. 14.
The visiting Voyageurs shot just 26 percent percent from the field. Helena Lamoureux led the way with 16 points. This is the second straight year Laurentian's season ends at Montpetit Hall, as Ottawa bounced the Voyageurs in the opening round of last year's playoffs.
The Gee-Gees now shift their focus to the Waterloo Warriors, the fourth-seeded team in the conference playoffs which earned a first round bye.
Ottawa and Waterloo squared off in early January, with the Gee-Gees taking the matchup 80-52 in a decisive road victory. Szczokin enjoyed a tremendous game, putting up a game-high 21 points.
Despite Ottawa's 18-4 regular season record being superior to that of the Warriors (17-5), the game will be played at the PAC as Waterloo won the OUA West division.
Saturday's game will be streamed live on OUA.tv. The winner will face the victor of the Queen's-Brock matchup held the same night in the OUA Semifinal with an automatic berth to the U SPORTS National Championship on the line.
Gee-Gees points in a single playoff/Nationals game
*Coleen Dufresne: 40 (Feb. 21, 1975 v. Windsor) – Tied for 7th all-time in U SPORTS playoff games
*Stella Ighorewo: 34 (Mar. 4, 1994 v. Windsor)
Natsuki Szczokin: 29 (Feb. 22, 2023 v. Laurentian)
Amelie Hachey: 26 (Mar. 7, 2019 v. Regina)
Vicki Harber: 26 (Feb. 19, 1977 v. Guelph)
*Hannah Sunley-Paisley: 26 (Feb. 27, 2010 v. Carleton)
*Hannah Sunley-Paisley: 26 (Feb. 23, 2011 v. York)
*Gee-Gees Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee