The Brock Badgers are heading to the 2020 U SPORTS Basketball Championships in Ottawa from March 5-8.
The Badgers, ranked sixth in the country, upset the fifth-ranked Western Mustangs 69-65 in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) semi-finals in London on Wednesday, Feb. 26. Brock will now head to Toronto on Saturday, Feb. 29 to play the Ryerson Rams in the OUA Championship game, where the two teams will be fighting for the Critelli Cup trophy, named in honour of former Brock basketball Coach and Assistant Athletic Director Chris Critelli. Brock has only won the OUA title once, in 1983.
The Badgers advance to the Critelli Cup Final versus the No. 2 Ryerson Rams, who defeated the Ottawa Gee-Gees, in Toronto on Saturday, Jan. 29 at 6 p.m.
Regardless of what happens in the final, just making it to game means the Badgers have earned their ticket to the U SPORTS Basketball Championships in Ottawa March 5 to 8. It will mark the first time Brock has competed for a women's basketball national championship since 2001-02. The Badgers have never won a national title for women's basketball.
Point guard Melissa Tatti, who was honoured by the OUA as Player of the Year prior to tipoff, said it's been evident in the last few games that her team never gives up.
"This program has faced a lot of ups and downs in the past couple of years, so it is pretty sweet," said Tatti. "Something has clicked the last few games where we just want it more than the other team, we don't care who's scoring, and we're playing tough defence. I never doubted that we could win games because of our talent, but the heart this team has is something of a championship team."
It was the second time the Badgers overcame another higher-ranked team in the OUA playoffs.
Centre Sam Keltos, who scored 17 points, credits her team's resilience for getting them this far.
"We have overcome so much and so much doubt from everyone in this league and keep giving it our all and showing people what Brock can do," she said. "I am over come with emotions that we've pulled it together so many times, and keep pulling out with the win. I love my team. This is an amazing group of women."
Brock finally wrestled the lead away from Western in the third quarter when Jessica Morris made a steal and finished it up with a layup. She added a free throw and the Badgers were off to the races.
The Mustangs weren't going down without a fight and battled back, yet Morris sunk a basketball from beyond the arc to restore Brock's lead, 51-50, heading into the fourth quarter thanks to a big defensive rebound by Sofia Croce.
"They played with poise down the stretch," said head coach Mike Rao, who was also honoured by the OUA with the Coach of the Year award. "Some clutch shooting and rebounding by all of our players."
Morris led the Badgers with 19 points and Tatti finished with 17 points, four assists and three steals.
Croce secured her first career double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
For Western, Elizabeth Leblanc led all scorers with 24 points and four blocks.
