SHERBROOKE, Que. – Rookie Marie-Evrardine Berrouette (Montreal, Que./Dawson College) tallied a double-double and Edith Noblecilla (Guayaquil, Ecuador/Santo Domingo de Guzmain) scored 15 points including five straight free throws in the final minutes as the Bishop's Gaiters scored their biggest RSEQ University women's basketball victory in recent memory, a 52-40 victory over the No.1-ranked McGill Martlets in Mitchell Gym on Friday night.
 
It was all Gaiters all game long as the Martlet's last lead came late in the first quarter. Bishop's, led by the rookie and the veteran, managed the physical play and were up 12-9 after the first frame.
 
The hosts extended their advantage to 26-21 at half despite Frederique Potvin connecting on a long distance prayer as time expired. The Gaiters defence highlighted the quarter. They forced five McGill turnovers including a pair of shot clock violations.  McGill's standout Alex Kiss-Rusk's first field goal came at the 1:29 left in the frame, her only two points of the half. Gaiter's fifth-year captain Mara Marchizotti (Buenos Aires, Argentina/) held her in check. She finished with nine points, 11 rebounds and four blocks
 

 
An early 9-0 run by the Gaiters doused any thoughts of a second half hiccup.  They were led by Berrouette who ended the night with 10 points, 12 rebounds, six steals and an assist. Bishop's won the stanza 16-7 to extend their advantage to 42-28 heading into the fourth.
 
Noblecilla picked up her fourth foul in the third, but Gaiters' bench boss Craig Norman trusted his senior in the fourth quarter.  She played all 10 minutes and scored five of her 15 points in the quarter, all from the free-throw line in crunch time as the nation's top team made a late game push. McGill cut the lead to five with 4:24 remaining but on the heels of Noblecilla, Bishop's was able to hang on and put McGill away by a final of 52-40 in front of a boisterous 260 Gaiters fans.
 

 
"I thought it was an unbelievable performance," said Gaiters head coach Craig Norman. "From the time the team arrived at the gym today for pre-game until the time the buzzer went they were totally focused. I think McGill gave us everything we could handle in the fourth quarter, but we held on."

Bishop's (12-8, 5-5) will not have time to celebrate as they play the back end of the home-and-home with McGill (16-3, 7-2) on Saturday at 4 p.m. in Montreal.
 
Friday's game marked the second annual #BellLetsTalk game at Bishop's as they support the nation-wide initiative to promote ending the stigma around mental health.
 
Stay up-to-date anytime with the Bishop's Gaiters at www.gaiters.ca or on social media using @BishopsGaiters or #GaiterNation.
 
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