The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's basketball team defeated the UNBC Timberwolves 72-58 on Thursday (Oct. 1) night at the Goldring Centre – Kimel Family Field House.
The Blues came out strong, holding the Timberwolves to just nine points in the opening quarter, holding a 15-9 lead at the break. UNBC answered in the second, cutting Toronto's lead to two heading into halftime. The Blue and White got off to a strong start to the second half, outscoring the Timberwolves 18-12 in the third quarter before a 23-point fourth quarter helped put the game away. Toronto found success from beyond the arc throughout the night, knocking down 13 three-pointers and took advantage of UNBC's turnovers, turning them into 20 points, while Toronto's bench contributed 33 points in the win.
Leading the way for the Blue and White was first-year guard Gracelin Spenrath, who finished with a team-high 19 points and six assists on nearly 47 per cent shooting, including five makes from beyond the arc. Fellow first-year guard Melanie Dunbar provided a spark off the bench with 13 points and three steals while shooting 75 per cent from the field. Fifth-year forward Janet Enge put together an all-around performance with 12 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Meanwhile, first-year forward Chidimma Chukwunyere was a presence in the paint with eight rebounds.
For the Timberwolves, Aurora Cabrera led the way with a game-high 20-point, 14-rebound double-double. Viktoriia Filatova also made an impact off the bench, adding 11 points on 42 per cent shooting. Ayanna Parr led the way defensively for the visiting side with three steals.
The Blues will now travel to Yellowknife for the North of 60 Classic from Oct. 9-11 before beginning the regular season with a road contest against the York Lions on Friday (Oct. 23) night. Action in Yellowknife begins on Friday (Oct. 9) night with a 7 p.m., tip-off against the Mount Saint Vincent Mystics.
