MONTREAL – Sam Jenkins of Hamilton, Ont., scored a career-high 36 points as the McGill University men's basketball team overpowered Laval 101-78 to officially open their 119th regular season, Thursday, at Love Competition Hall.
 
The result was McGill's highest offensive output in league play since a 105-67 win against Bishop's in the conference semifinals on Feb. 28, 2018. It was also McGill's fifth consecutive home opener win in RSEQ play.
 
McGill had a 27-20 advantage after the first quarter, then opened the offensive machine. The hosts led 54-36 at halftime, maintained a healthy 70-52 advantage after three and outscored Laval 31-26 in a wild final frame.
 
Jenkins, a 6-foot-5, 195-pound guard, shot a superb 13-for-19 from the field, including a 5-for-10 performance from three-point territory and was 5-for-5 in free-throws. The 21-year-old physical education junior added seven rebounds, seven assists and a pair of steals in 31-minutes of court-time.

His 36-point tally was the most by a McGill hoopster in 14 years, since Denburk Reid tied a team-record for point-guards with 37 points in a 77-72 loss at Laval on Feb. 11, 2005. It marked the third time that Reid had hit the 37-point plateau that season.
 
"We moved the ball well today, especially in the second half," said McGill head coach David DeAveiro, whose squad had four players reach double-digits in scoring. "And we shot extremely well. We've been doing a lot of it in practice and it paid off tonight."
 
Others to score in double figures were Levi Londole, Jamal Mayali and Quarry Whyne

Londolé, a 6-foot-8 junior from LaSalle, Que., tallied 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds to go along with four assists and one blocked shot. He was 8-for-10 shooting from the field, including 1-for-3 from beyond the arc.

Mayali, a junior guard from Toronto, contributed 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. He connected on half of his field-goal attempts (4/8), shot 75 per cent from downtown (3/4) and was perfect on his two free-throws. 

Whyne added a dozen points, seven rebounds, three assists and one steal. He shot 5-for-9 from the floor, including 2-for-3 on three-pointers.
 
Sidney Tremblay-Lacombe led Laval with a solid 26 points and eight rebounds in a losing cause.
 
McGill shot 54.8 per cent from the field (40/73), including 44.8 from beyond the arc (13/29), and was 8-for-11 on free-throws. Laval shot 38.2 (29/76), 26.7 (8/30), and 54.5 (12/22), respectively.
 
McGill had a 44-24 edge in rebounds and a 20-15 advantage in turnovers forced. The Rouge et Or had a 12-11 difference in steals while each side had one blocked shot.
 
McGill (1-0) was scheduled to play next on Nov. 9 at Bishop's but that game has been rescheduled for Nov. 21. As such, they will play next at UQAM (0-0) on Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. Two days later, Laval (0-1) visits Concordia (0-0).
 
BOXSCORE

RSEQ STATS & STANDINGS