SHERBROOKE, Que. – The Bishop's Gaiters women's basketball team hits the road for the first time in league play this year, as they visit the Concordia Stingers on Thursday night in Montreal. Tip-off in the always-cozy Concordia Gym is set for 6 p.m.
 
The Gaiters (6-3, 1-0 RSEQ) won their only game last week, as they cruised to a 78-61 win over the UQAM Citadins at the Mitchell Gym. The win was the Gaiters' first in a regular-season opener since 2011, and puts them in a tie with Laval atop the RSEQ standings after the first week of the season. Overall, the Gaiters are winners of four of their past six games.
 
On Saturday, Edith Noblecilla (Guayaquil, Ecuador/Santo Domingo de Guzmain) led the Gaiters with 19 points, five rebounds and seven assists, which earned her Bishop's female athlete of the week honours. Fellow senior Mara Marchizotti (Buenos Aires, Argentina/) had an outstanding return to play, as she scored 16 points in her first game action since Sept. 30. Ashley Milhomme (Repentigny, Que./Collège Montmorency) (14 points) and Maude Archambault (Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que./Collège Montmorency) (11) were the other Gaiters in double figures.
 
Key to the Gaiters' success was their ability to get to the free throw line and convert. Against UQAM, they took 31 free throws and made 20, both of which currently lead the nation in the very early stages.
 
Other Gaiters in the national leaders in the very early going include Noblecilla, who is second in the country with seven assists per game, Marie-Eve Berrouette, whose 14 rebounds are third in the nation, and Marchizotti, who is second in Canada with a 0.778 field goal percentage.
 
The Stingers, who received votes in the most recent U Sports Top 10 poll, have yet to see league action this year, but are 6-1 in non-conference play so far. After winning their own tournament and sweeping a trio of games against OUA opponents in October, they suffered a 55-50 loss to No. 4-ranked Carleton to close out the preseason.
 
The Gaiters took one of four matchups from the Stingers last season, a 76-66 win in Lennoxville on Jan. 28, 2017. Bishop's is looking for its first win in the Concordia Gym since Feb. 17, 2012, when they scored a 44-42 win.
 
Thursday's game will be webcast at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/cumo/.