QUEBEC CITY -- Gabrielle Girard scored a game-high 18 points in 18 minutes of court-time as No.1-ranked Laval took advantage of a depleted McGill lineup to spank the Martlets 70-40 in women's basketball before 1,745 at Centre PEPS, Friday.

The result avenged Wednesday's stunning 50-42 loss to unranked McGill and the 40-point offensive outing matched McGill's season low set in a 62-40 loss at Bishop's on Nov. 26.

The Rouge et Or led 20-11 after the first quarter, 40-21 at the half and 58-35 after three, then outscored the Martlets 12-5 in the final stanza. Laval held a 32-27 edge in rebounding, an 11-4 margin in steals and a 24-18 advantage in turnovers.

McGill was handicapped without the services of 5-foot-11 forward Jennifer Silver, their second-leading scorer and rebounder. A senior in medical school, Silver was on the bench but not dressed as her hand was in a cast after suffering an injury earlier in the week.

Veteran Frederique Potvin came off the bench to lead the Martlets with nine points and rookie Fredericke Laflamme added eight with a team-high six rebounds. Power forward Alex Kiss-Rusk, the Martlets leading scorer, was double-teamed and held to just four points and six rebounds.

Laval shot 45.5 per cent from the field (25/55), 40.9 from three-point range (9/22) and a sparkling 91.7 from the free-throw line (11/12). McGill connected on 25.0 (13/52), 23.8 (5/21) and 81.8 (9/11), respectively.

The Rouge et Or improved to 5-1 atop the five-team RSEQ conference and will host fourth-place Bishop's (1-3) on Jan. 13.  McGill, which dropped to 2-4, faces a must-win game at UQAM (4-1) on Jan. 13 at 6 p.m. if they want to have any hopes of catching the second-place team.
 

2016-17 RSEQ Basketball (F)Standings  • Classement de la saison régulière

Pos	Équipe	MJ	V	D	PP	PC	MOY	Diff.	PTS
1	Laval	6	5	1	394	320	0.833	0.0	10
2	UQAM	5	4	1	330	305	0.800	0.5	8
3	McGill	6	2	4	286	344	0.333	3.0	4
4	Bishop's	4	1	3	236	235	0.250	3.0	2
5	Concordia	5	1	4	283	325	0.200	3.5	2