Brock University Badgers defeat UPEI in U sports women’s basketball semis

OTTAWA — Brock University ended the golden dreams of the University of Prince Edward Island in the first semifinal at the U Sports women’s basketball championship on Saturday.

The No. 2 Badgers from St. Catharines, Ont., took down the No. 6 Panthers 69 to 55 and will move on to the championship game Sunday.

The energetic match up was extremely close through three quarters, but the Badgers began to pull away early in the fourth as the Panthers struggled to score.

Badger player of the game Samantha Keltos scored 23 points with 17 rebounds to lead her team.

After learning the Badgers would face P.E.I. in the semis, fourth-year centre Keltos said Thursday she knew they had to shut down Panthers star Jenna Mae Ellsworth.

The second year guard from Charlottetown was named national player of the year Wednesday.

Ellsworth scored 12 in the first, but was held to just five points in both the second and third, and scored nothing in the fourth. She was named UPEI player of the game.

Neither team has ever won a national title in women’s basketball.

Brock earned its spot in the championship by winning the Ontario conference title for the first time in 27 years, while P.E.I. made it to the final 8 after winning the Atlantic conference title for the first time in 22 years.

The Badgers will play the winner of the second semifinal between the No. 1 Saskatchewan Huskies and No. 4 Laval Rouge et Or, who are both looking for a win after multiple appearances in the Final 8 in recent years.

This story by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2020.

The Canadian Press