Box Score Joanna Medri led all players with 24 points, leading the No. 10 Varsity Blues women’s basketball team to an 81-80 victory over the CIS defending champion Windsor Lancers on Saturday night (Nov. 26) at the Athletic Centre Sports Gym.

With the win, the Blues improve to 5-1 and remain atop the OUA East, while the No. 3 Lancers drop to 4-2 in the West division.

Medri (Toronto) was 8-for-15 from the floor, including 5-for-6 from beyond the arc, and added three assists and two steals en route to player of the game honours.

Fifth-year forward Megan Stoncius of Mississauga, Ont., recorded 16 points and five boards, while sophomore guard Jill Stratton (Etobicoke, Ont.) added 11 points, five boards and four assists in the win.

Down 59-52 heading into the final frame, Toronto and Windsor tied the score four times throughout the last 10 minutes of action.  U of T would prove victorious with a final fade-away jumper by Stratton with 10 seconds remaining.  Some strong Blues defence denied the Lancers of another point as U of T sealed the comeback win.

Windsor opened the game on a 6-0 run, only to be answered by a 7-0 streak by the Blues. The play went back and forth from there and Medri and Windsor’s Bojana Kovacevic exchanged threes at the end of the first quarter as the Lancers held a slight 22-17 lead.

Stoncius closed the gap with five points in the first minute of the second quarter; however, the Lancers responded and, despite a 14-point half by Medri, maintained a six-point lead (42-36) at halftime.

The Blues battled back and brought the game within three (52-49) with 2:47 remaining in the third but Windsor ended with a 7-3 run to take a 59-52 lead into the final frame

Both teams exchanged baskets to start the fourth until the Blues opened the flood gates. Pierce came up with a huge three-pointer and three consecutive free throws and Medri drained a long three to give the home team their first lead (66-65) since the first quarter with just under six minutes remaining.

2010-11 CIS player of the year Jessica Clemencon led the Lancers with 19 points, while Kovacevic had 14 in the loss.

The Varsity Blues return to the court next Friday, December 2 as they travel to Hamilton, Ont., to take on the McMaster Marauders. Tip off is scheduled for 6 p.m.



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