The holiday break did nothing to stop the Badgers' momentum at home as the women's basketball team remain undefeated at Bob Davis Gymnasium. The home side defeated the visiting TMU Bold on Friday, Jan. 5 by a score of 76-58.
The key to success for the Badgers in this contest was contributions from up and down the roster scoring as four players hit double digits on the evening. Junior guards Madalyn Weinert and Oluwatito Akinnusi combined for 37 points, with 20 and 17, respectively. Weinert led the Badgers with nine assists, while Akinnusi had a team-high nine rebounds. Olivia Fiorucci notched 16 points, while guard Angeline Campbell was a perfect 3-for-3 from the three-point line to earn 11 points off the bench.
Both squads struggled offensively early on, with neither team finding the basket until Fiorucci hit a field goal at 2:07 in the quarter. The back-and-forth frame ended with the Badgers holding a slim 17-15 advantage after two straight free throw makes from Akinusi.
Akinusi continued her scoring ways early in the second, hitting back-to-back jumpers before Weinert launched a three-pointer to give the Badgers a 27-17 lead. The Badgers used a strong three-point shooting performance in the half, knocking five of 11 from behind the arc en route to a 46-31 lead.
Weinert's 18th point of the game helped extend the Badgers lead to 21 with 3:56 left in the third quarter, forcing a TMU timeout. The home side took advantage of multiple TMU turnovers as the third quarter ended with the Badgers up 69-38 and enjoying a commanding 31-point lead. The Brock defence played a major role in the frame, holding TMU to seven points; their lowest-scoring quarter total of the year.
In an attempt to mount a fourth-quarter comeback, the visitors employed a full-court press, but the Badgers held strong and kept TMU from going on a large run. When the final whistle blew, the Badgers walked away with a 22-point win over the nationally ranked and previously undefeated Bold.
Up next, the Badgers (6-4) return to action tomorrow on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 6 p.m. against the Toronto Varsity Blues (2-8) in Toronto. You can watch the game on OUA.tv.
