QUEBEC CITY -- Sarah-Jane Marois and Carrie-Ann Auger each scored 11 points as Laval defeated McGill 65-46 in a showdown of undefeated RSEQ women's basketball squads at the Centre PEPS, Saturday.
 
It was the first meeting since McGill's 56-52 victory in the RSEQ championship on March 3, 2018.
 
The Rouge et Or took a 15-7 lead after the first quarter, extended that to a commanding 35-14 margin at halftime and a 51-32 advantage after three. Both teams scored 14 points in the fourth quarter.
 
Laval had a 31-19 edge in rebounds and a 5-2 margin in blocks, while McGill held a 12-9 difference in steals and a 23-21 turnover advantage

Leading the way for McGill was newcomer Sirah Diarra, a 6-foot-1 NCAA transfer from Longueuil, Que., with a game-high 17 points. She shot 6-for-15 from the floor, missed both three-point attempts, and was perfect on her five free-throw attempts. She also had three assists and a pair of steals.
 
Geraldine Cabillo-Abante of St. Laurent, Que., followed with 10 points, three rebounds, four steals and three assists. The 5-foot-5 junior guard shot 3-for-10 from the field, connecting on one of three attempts from three-point range and went 3-for-4 from the freebie line.
 
The Martlets shot just 30.9 per cent from the field (17/55), 20.0 from downtown (3/15), and were 9-for-11 from the line. Laval shot 44.8 from the field (26/58), including a 9-for-20 mark from beyond the arc, and was perfect on all four free-throws.
 
McGill (1-1) hosts Bishops (1-0) on Thursday, Nov. 15 at Love Competition Hall. The opening tip-off is slated for 6 p.m. Laval (2-0) gets a week off before playing at Bishop's on Nov. 17.