The Brock Badgers defeated the Lakehead Thunderwolves 63-41 on Friday before beating them again 77-72 on Saturday, earning their seventh and eighth consecutive wins to remain undefeated in the new year.
Game 1: Win 63-41
Madalyn Weinert led the Badgers to the 63-41 Friday night victory, racking up 32 points to go along with seven rebounds and five steals, shooting an efficient 13-for-16.
The St. Catharines native got the party started early, scoring 12 of Brock’s 22 first quarter points, leading to a strong start offensively which translated into a solid defensive performance.
The Badgers limited the Thunderwolves to only one made field goal on 13 attempts in the frame, as five of their seven points came from the free throw line resulting in a 22-7 Brock lead after the one.
In the second, Weinert continued her dominance adding another 10 points to her tally, as Brock’s defence continued to stay intact.
The Badgers once again limited the Thunderwolves to single-digit points in the quarter, leading to a massive 37-15 halftime lead as the third quarter featured the same headlines as the first half.
Weinert scored another eight points in the third as Oluwatito Akinnusi and Angeline Campbell each contributed with five and four points respectively – both finished with nine in the game – while Badger defenders limited Lakehead to only 10 points on three made field goals in the quarter.
However, the fourth quarter was when the tide began to swing as the Thunderwolves found their shooting stroke despite being down 56-25.
Lakehead shooters nailed four three-pointers in the quarter – two more than the Badgers had all game – but it was too late.
The Badgers held on for the 63-41 win, shooting 42.6 per cent from the field – compared to Lakehead’s 24.5 per cent – scoring 36 points in the paint and 29 points off 23 Thunderwolves’ turnovers.
The Badgers, who have yet to lose in 2024, were looking to extend their winning streak to eight the following night.
Game 2: Win 77-72
Weinert’s season-high 34 points and 10 rebounds sparked an impressive 77-72 comeback victory after Lakehead’s fourth quarter prowess from Friday’s game carried right into Saturday’s contest.
The Thunderwolves shot lights out in the opening quarter draining three threes on nearly 43 per cent shooting from beyond the arc, as guard Paula Lopez and forward Eva Guilera each had six points in the first.
Weinert countered with six points of her own while rookie Vienna Verseci added a career-high four points late in the frame, but Lakehead held the 21-14 lead after one.
However, the second quarter featured a swing in momentum favouring the visitors.
Weinert, the OUA-leader in points per game averaging 22.1 points, continued her electrifying weekend performance scoring 10 of the Badgers’ 19 second quarter points.
Brock’s defence also stepped up in the frame, limiting Lakehead to 13 points on five made field goals cutting the deficit to one at halftime.
In the third quarter, both teams’ offensive abilities were on display, trading runs causing the pendulum to oscillate rapidly.
The Thunderwolves opened the quarter on a 17-11 run, shooting an impressive 61.5 per cent in the quarter including five made three-pointers before the Badgers responded on a 9-5 run to close the quarter.
Akinnusi scored eight of her 13 points in the quarter – including a crucial last-second buzzer-beater – as the sophomore forward finished the game two assists shy of a triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists.
Brock’s late-quarter surge shrunk the deficit to just three entering the fourth when Allison Addy announced her presence, draining a pair of three-pointers to start the quarter, giving the Badgers the lead.
The third-year teacher education major finished the game with nine points on three-of-five shooting from deep, along with three rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Olivia Fiorucci also contributed for the Badgers in the fourth, scoring six points in the frame, finishing with a stat line of 11 points, three rebounds and a season-high six assists. Fiorucci’s biggest contribution of the night was scoring a layup with under three minutes to go, widening the Brock lead to five, leading to the 77-72 hard-fought victory.
With the win, the Badgers earned their eighth straight victory, improving to 13-4 this season and continuing their lead atop the OUA Central standings.
Next up for the Badgers is a pair of home games this weekend against the Windsor Lancers (9-7) and Western Mustangs (10-7). For more information on the Brock Badgers’ women’s basketball team, head to gobadgers.ca.