Box Score Fifth-year guard Jill Stratton notched a career-high 31 points as the University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's basketball team dropped a 79-77 overtime decision to the Queen's Gaels on Friday night (Jan. 23) in Kingston, Ont.


It was the two team's first meeting since Queen's ended Toronto's season in 2013-14 OUA quarter-final action.

With the loss, the Blues drop to 6-5 and remain in third place, while the Gaels improve to 7-3 in the East division.

Stratton went 11-for-24 from the floor and 8-for-13 from the free throw line, while completing the double-double with a game-high 11 rebounds and adding four assists on the night.

Second-year guard Rahshida Atkinson also had a career-high 17 points, while Abena Addo matched her personal best 14 points, adding six boards in the loss.

Two early buckets from Emily Piccini got the Blues out to an 8-2 lead and seven first-quarter points from Atkinson gave U of T a 21-14 advantage after 10 minutes.

Atkinson and Stratton led a 9-4 run as U of T built upwards of a 15-point lead in the second quarter, but a Jenny Wright three-pointer at the buzzer brought the game within 10 (40-30) at halftime.

U of T opened the second half on a 10-3 streak and were up by 17 points midway through the third quarter. The Gaels rallied with a 15-5 run of their own to bring the game back within single digits as Toronto held a narrow 58-53 lead heading into the final frame.

Queen's continued to close the gap and brought the game within one (63-62), but the Blues kept the lead thanks to four straight points from Addo. With 2:56 remaining, Gaels forward Gemma Bullard drained a free throw to even the score at 67-67.

Regulation ended in a 71-71 deadlock and the two teams needed overtime to decide a winner.

The Gaels drained five early points and despite a rallying effort from Stratton, the Blues fell by a mere two points.

Emily Hazlett led the Gaels with 20 points, while Robyn Pearson had 17 points and nine rebounds in the win.

The Varsity Blues return to action tomorrow night as they travel to take on the York Lions. Game time is 6 p.m. The game will also be streamed live on OUA.tv.

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