MONTREAL – Khaleann Caron-Goudreau of Gatineau, Que., scored a game-high 15 points as No.10-ranked Laval defeated McGill 43-35 in a low-scoring affair to officially open the 100th anniversary of women's varsity basketball on campus, Thursday, at Love Competition Hall.
 
The combined total of 78 points was the lowest-scoring McGill game since a 43-40 preseason loss to Ottawa on Oct. 4, 2018 and the 35 points tallied by McGill was its lowest offensive output in regular season play in a dozen years, dating back to a 49-33 home-court loss to Laval on Nov. 30, 2007.
 
"We're not disciplined enough to win right now," said Martlets head coach Ryan Thorne whose team has scored less than 50 points in three consecutive games, counting preseason. "We aren't following our game-plan all the way. We're doing it 80 per cent and that's not good enough, especially against one of the top teams in the country. That's the difference right now. But if we can follow our game-plan all the way, I think we'll be alright." 
 
The score was tied 10-10 after the opening quarter and the Martlets jumped into a 19-17 edge at halftime.  But Laval fought back to win the third quarter 18-6 and McGill took the final frame 10-8.
 
Caron-Goudreau shot 6-for-12 from the field and was perfect on both her free-throws. She also pulled down 17 rebounds and collected one assist, one block, and one steal in 37 minutes of court time.
 
The game featured only 24 personal fouls between the teams and a combined 17 trips to the charity stripe.

"The refs don't call anything and the game was way too physical," said Thorne in trying to explain the lack of offence. "Our league is way too physical (compared with the other conferences across the country) and I've been saying that for years."

Both teams shot poorly, with McGill connecting on only 21.8 per cent from the field (12/55). The Martlets shot 3-for-15 from three-point range and sunk eight of 10 free-throws.
 
Laval fared only slightly better with a 26.2 per cent success rate from the floor (16/61), including 5-for-26 from downtown and 6-for-7 from the line.
 
McGill was led by senior Geraldine Cabillo-Abante, a 5-foot-5 point-guard from St. Laurent, Que., with nine points. She shot 3-for-9 from the field and sank both her free-throws. 

Rounding out the scoring were teammates Nadege Pluviose (8 pts), Charlotte Clayton (7), Sirah Diarra (6), Gladys Hakizimana (2), Shayann Laguerre (2) and Ruth Tshikudi-Tshila (1).
 
Laval had a 42-34 rebounding advantage and a 12-17 difference in turnovers. The Martlets held a 7-5 edge in steals and led 4-2 in blocks. McGill also managed 12 points off the bench compared to Laval's six.
 
McGill, which has lost three of its last five starts to Laval dating back to last year, dropped to 0-1. The Martlets were supposed to be playing at Bishop's on Saturday (Nov. 9) but that game has been rescheduled to Nov. 21. Instead, they return to the court on Nov. 14 at UQAM (0-0). Meanwhile, Laval (1-0) plays their next game on Nov. 16, when they host Concordia (0-0).

BOXSCORE

RSEQ STATS & STANDINGS