SHERBROOKE – The McGill Martlets used a 9-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to break open a tight contest and down the Bishop's Gaiters 68-59 in RSEQ women's university basketball action at the Mitchell Gym in Lennoxville, Saturday.
 
McGill, which improved to 15-8 overall and 6-6 in league action, was led by Alex Kiss-Rusk, who had a "double-double" with 19 points and 12 rebounds, both game highs. Frederique Potvin came off the bench to score 16 for the Martlets, while Marika Guerin added 12.

The last-place Gaiters, who dropped to 7-12 overall and 2-10 in conference play, got off to a strong start, taking a 12-3 lead six minutes into the contest. But the Martlets responded after a time-out with a 7-2 run and cut the Gaiters advantage to 14-10 after the first quarter. McGill took their first lead with 5:15 left in the first half, as Marie-Love Michel scored two of her 11 points to put the Martlets up 20-18. McGill stretched their lead to as many as eight points but a buzzer-beating layup by Edith Noblecilla cut BU's halftime deficit to 29-24.
 
The Gaiters again came out of the locker room strong, as they started the first half with an 11-0 run, keyed by seven points from Ashley Milhomme to take a 35-29 lead. However, McGill responded with an 11-0 run of their own to restore their five-point edge, at 40-35, and led 44-41 after three quarters.
 
In the final stanza, the Gaiters trailed 49-47 with five minutes to play but a 9-0 Martlets run, keyed by five points from Kiss-Rusk over the next 90 seconds made the score 58-47, putting it out of reach.
 
For Bishop's, Noblecilla and Milhomme each scored 13 points, while Noemie Hamel-Petit and Mara Marchizotti added 10 apiece.
 
The Martlets outshot Bishop's 42% to 34%, and out-rebounded the Gaiters 43-36.
 
With four games remaining before playoffs, McGill (6-6) will host the second-place UQAM Citadins (7-5) on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 6 pm in a "Beach Night" promotion at Love Competition Hall. Fans are encouraged to bring beach gear and sunscreen and recharge in a temporary beach oasis. Other items on the agenda include a special BBQ beach concessions menu, a plethora of inflatables and pool toys, a McGill Sports Med Relaxation Zone with massages, music featuring the Beach Boys hits, deck chairs and sandpit, a signed "Laguna Beach Season 1" DVD raffle, free sunglasses (to protect eyes from hot-shooting Redmen three-point specialist Jenning Leung and beach-themed halftime relay race for prizes.

The Gaiters (2-10) are back in action on Saturday, Feb. 11, when they host division-leading Laval (11-1) in their annual "Shoot for the Cure" game.

 

2016-17 RSEQ Women's Basketball Standings (updated after games on Feb. 4) • Classement de la saison régulière

Pos	Équipe	MJ	V	D	PP	PC	MOY	Diff.	PTS
1	Laval	12	11	1	859	688	0.917	0.0	22
2	UQAM	12	7	5	730	735	0.583	4.0	14
3	McGill	12	6	6	691	716	0.500	5.0	12
4	Concordia	12	4	8	752	831	0.333	7.0	8
5	Bishop's	12	2	10	699	761	0.167	9.0	4