Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The roar of the crowd echoed throughout the Meridian Centre on Saturday, Jan. 31 as the Brock Badgers men's and women's basketball teams faced off against the McMaster Marauders in a thrilling doubleheader matchup.  
 
Fans of all ages came ready to cheer on their hometown Badgers at the eighth edition of Paint the Meridian Red, where the Brock women ultimately fell 86-72 and the men conquered their opponents by a score of 89-71. 
  
"Paint the Meridian Red is a special night that is about more than just basketball; it's a celebration of school spirit, pride and tradition," said Courtney Smith, Associate Director, Brock Sports and Recreation. "Students, alumni, families and fans from across the Niagara region came together to fill the Meridian Centre with an energy you can't replicate anywhere else. This night is a reminder that Brock isn't just a university, but a family we're proud to share with the entire community."  
  
St. Catharines' own Madalyn Weinert, playing in her final Paint the Meridian Red game, led the way for the Brock women's team, finishing with 25 points and 17 rebounds for her 13th consecutive double-double of the season. Also finishing in double digits were Vienna Vercesi and Janee Harrison, who delivered 11 and 10 points, respectively. 
  
"It was a really great experience as a first-year [player], and the fans were amazing," guard Mikayla Williams said of her Paint the Meridian debut. "It was very inspiring to see the next generation of players in the crowd. This is bigger than basketball because there are young females out there being inspired by us." 
  
After trailing by nine points at halftime, the Badgers women surged with a late comeback attempt, outscoring their opponents 19-15 in the third quarter before ultimately dropping the contest 86-72. 
 
The Badgers women continue to hold their second-place position in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Central Division and are set to head to Ottawa for matchups with the Ottawa Gee-Gees and Carleton Ravens on Saturday, Feb. 7 and Sunday, Feb. 8.

 It was a balanced effort on the men's side in their commanding victory as five players finished in double digits, with first-year guard Birch Pockar leading the team with a game -high and career-high 14 points.
  
"It was amazing — absolute energy — and I love moments like this. I can't wait to do it again next year," said fellow first-year guard Cairo Perry. "Seeing I can influence the next generation is awesome because I've watched games with college players and it's cool to see this come full circle."
  
The Badgers outrebounded their opponents in the contest by 10 and controlled the game from start to finish as they stormed out to a 27-15 lead they would never relinquish.
  
With the victory, the men's team maintain the top spot in the OUA Central Division with a 14-4 regular season record. They will also head to Ottawa to take on the Gee-Gees and Ravens on Saturday, Feb. 7 and Sunday, Feb. 8.

The women's team moved to 4-4 all-time at Paint the Meridian Red, while the men improved their record at the event to 5-3.

Combined with ticket sales from the Steel Blade Classic hockey game held in September, $1,006 was raised to support the Brock University Students' Union Food First Program — an initiative addressing food insecurity among students.