SHERBROOKE, Que. – The Bishop's Gaiters women's basketball team closes out the fall portion of their schedule with a rare afternoon game on Saturday as they host the No. 8-ranked McGill Martlets. Tipoff at the Mitchell Gym is set for 2 p.m.
The Gaiters (5-5, 0-3 RSEQ) enter the game after dropping a 72-56 decision to the then-No. 4-ranked Laval Rouge et Or in Quebec City last Friday.
Mara Marchizotti (Buenos Aires, Argentina) led the Gaiters with 18 points, but was held to only four rebounds. The Gaiters led 19-16 after the first quarter, and trailed 38-36 at halftime before a slow third quarter allowed the undefeated Rouge et Or to pull away.
The Gaiters are a half-game behind McGill (9-4, 0-2 RSEQ), who plays Concordia on Thursday night. The Martlets started off the season strongly, winning eight of their first nine games. However, the change in temperature has also brought about a change in their fortunes, as they have lost three of their last four, including both conference games to date.
Gaiters veteran point guard
Edith Noblecilla (Guayaquil, Ecuador/Santo Domingo de Guzmain) continues to lead the country with 8.0 assists per game this season, after picking up nine last week. She is also ninth in the conference with 12.0 points per game, and is tied for fifth in the conference with 7.3 rebounds per game.
Mara Marchizotti (Buenos Aires, Argentina), meanwhile, is third in Quebec in scoring with 16.3 points per game and seventh in the circuit with 7.0 rebounds. She is also the most accurate shooter in the conference, with a 0.538 field goal percentage. Maëva Dinalle is the other Gaiter averaging in double figures, with 11.0 points per game.
McGill, meanwhile, comes into the game scoring only 48.5 points per game in league play, led by Alexandra Kiss-Rusk, who has averaged 13.5 points per game. On the boards, Jennifer Silver leads the Martlets with 8.5 rebounds per game, while Kiss-Rusk has 8.0. McGill fell 63-46 to Laval on Remembrance Day, and suffered a 58-51 defeat at UQAM last week.
Saturday's game is part of the festivities for the induction of the Class of 2016 into the RBC Wall of Distinction. Among the inductees are former women's basketball star Cynthia Johnston and longtime athletic therapist Steve King.
Saturday's game will wind down the fall portion of the Gaiters' 2016-17 schedule. After this weekend, the team will take its annual exam and Christmas break, returning to action on Jan. 13, 2017.
