Box Score
MONTREAL -- Alex Kiss-Rusk of Beaconsfield, Que., registered a "double-double", posting game-highs with 20 points and 14 rebounds as the No.4-ranked McGill women's basketball team defeated visiting Concordia 65-54 at Love Competition Hall, Thursday.
 
It improved McGill's record to 10-1 in league play and was the teams 14th victory in the last 21 meetings against the cross-town rival Stingers, including a current two-game win streak.
 
Kiss-Rusk, a 6-foot-4 transfer from Virginia Tech, had 28 minutes of court-time and shot 8-for-18 from the field, including a 4-for-5 effort from the foul-line. The cultural studies sophomore also impressed with six blocks, four assists and a steal.
 
"She is big and she can dominate in the paint," said McGill head coach Ryan Thorne. "When Alex (wants) to dominate these types of nights will happen."
 
The Martlets got off to a slow start and trailed 15-12 after the opening quarter but regrouped in the second to take a 30-28 lead into halftime. After the break it was a tight game all the way until three-minute mark of the final stanza when McGill amped up the intensity and pulled away with an 11-point victory.
 
Concordia, which has used a short bench all season, only had six players get significant court time. Their five starters Daphne Thouin, Marilyse Roy-Viau, Richelle Gregoire, Tamara Pinard-Devos and Kaylah Barrett all had over 35 minutes of playing time.  Roy-Viau led the Stingers in scoring with 16 points while Barrett added 13 points but her game struggled, going 4-for-22 from the field.
 
By contrast, 11 members of the Martlets saw the court, including nine who reached double-digits in minutes played.
 
Shooting-guard Carolann Cloutier was the only other Martlet to reach double figures in scoring with a dozen points on 5-for-7 shooting, including a 2-for-4 effort from three-point range. Teammates Mariam Sylla and Marie-Love Michel contributed nine points apiece.
 
McGill had a 44-32 edge in rebounds but lost the turnover battle 24-20.

The Martlets shot 39.7 per cent from the floor (25/63) which included an ugly 2-for-13 performance from downtown but made up for it with a sizzling 13-for-15 effort from the free-throw line. The Stingers replied with 25 per cent in field-goal shooting (16/64), made six of 23 from the arc and went 16-for-19 from the line.
 
McGill (10-1) will make the short ride across town on Saturday to square off in a rematch with Concordia (4-7). Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. and the game is scheduled to be streamed live on Stretch.tv.