New Year’s Resolution: QUBL Edition

The second half of the QUBL season coincides with a new year – a chance for all teams to start fresh and make good on their resolutions. Hopefully, the QUBL teams will have better perseverance than I do on the resolutions front (if you made the same mistake as I did and joined the gym before remembering how utterly boring it is, I am here to remind you that most one-year gym memberships can be cancelled within the first 36 days. You know, just in case…)

Let’s take a look at this week’s power rankings:

1. McGill Martlets

The Martlets, off this week, will put their undefeated record on the line when they resume the second half of their season with a home game against Concordia on January 13th, benefiting the Shoot for the Cure campaign.

2. UQAM Citadins

The Citadins went 2-0 with strong back-to-back wins. Their first win came at home against Bishop’s which they followed up with a win in Concordia’s gym. UQAM led the whole game against the Stingers, dropping an impressive 27 points in the first quarter alone. Michelle Auger-Bellemare had an uncharacteristic off game, but this UQAM team is deep and talented, and Marjolaine Gauthier-Théorêt (14 points), Jessica Bibeau-Côté (15), and Irline Noël (11) picked up the slack. The most promising statistic however, comes on their improved defence. During both games they only allowed 67 points, five points below their first half average. With these two wins, UQAM cements themselves as the team to dethrone McGill in the standings.

3. Laval Rouge et Or

The Laval Rouge et Or went 0-1 this week, losing a tightly contested game to the Concordia Stingers, 59-57. The game seemed out of reach with 1:27 to go with Concordia up by 7, but Laval came back to tie it 57-57 with 9 seconds left. The Rouge et Or then gave up a foul to Alex Boudreau who sunk both foul shots for Concordia, putting the game away with her only two points of the night. Their Achilles heel in the first half of the season was their turnover margin, but the Rouge et Or finally got that under control this game and had just a -1 turnover differential. However, they did commit 24 turnovers, a notch below their first half average and a league-worst. They may have let this one slip away, but Laval definitely looks like a revamped team who can be dangerous in the coming weeks.

4. Concordia Stingers

The Stingers went 1-1 this week, winning in unimpressive fashion against the Laval Rouge et Or and then succumbing to UQAM the next night. Their slow start against UQAM, possibly a result of a close game the night before against Laval, cost them dearly as they were unable to make up a 10 point deficit after the first quarter. It was Concordia’s defence that gave the game away, allowing UQAM to shoot 50% from the field. Their loss to UQAM, a team which they previously lost to in overtime, means that they have yet to win against a team with a winning record.

5. Bishop's Gaiters

The Gaiters' 78-67 loss to UQAM showed a team that did little to improve their dire rebounding situation. They were badly outrebounded 51-32 and gave up 21 offensive boards leading to 20 second-chance points for UQAM. For a team that has enough trouble scoring on the offensive end, the second chance points that they gave up proved to be insurmountable. On a more optimistic note, Katy Germain, who struggled in the first half of the season, played her best game yet by going 7-11 from the field for a total of 17 points. Jessy Roy continued her dominant play scoring 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, netting her first double-double of the season.
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