MONTREAL -- Elie Karojo scored only six points but made a game-winning fade-away jump shot at the buzzer as the UQAM Citadins rallied from an 18-point deficit to escape with a stunning 77-75 victory over visiting McGill in a men's basketball thriller at the Centre Sportif, Thursday.

The result spoiled a 19-point, seven-rebound performance from McGill senior Sam Jenkins of Hamilton, Ont., who returned to the lineup after missing four games with an unspecified injury. Jenkins hit a spectacular trey from the top of the key with 3.2 seconds remaining to knot the score at 75-75. He shot 6-for-12, including an impressive 5-for-8 from three-point range.

The Redbirds led 23-17 after the opening quarter and took a comfortable 42-30 advantage into halftime. But the second half was a different story. After McGill appeared to be in total control with a 55-37 lead and only 4:35 remaining in the third, UQAM went on a 9-2 run to enter the final stanza training 57-46, then exploded to win the final quarter 31-18.

Three Citadins starters reached double digits, with Bahaide Haidara (22), Kevin Civil (19) and Alix Lochard (13).

Joining Jenkins among McGill's leading marksmen was Samuel Chaput with 16, keyed by a 4-for-7 performance from long-distance. Both of them played a game-high 36 minutes. Teammate Haris Elezovic contributed a double-double, with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

UQAM had the upper-hand in rebounds (39-31) and blocks (4-1), along with a preferential advantage in turnovers (19-16). McGill, which had a 12-11 edge in steals, shot 40 per cent from the field (24/60), was 12-for-22 from the arc and made 13 of 20 from the line. The Citadins shot 45.8 per cent from the floor (27/59), went 6-for-22 from distance and 13-for-26 from the charity stripe.

UQAM improved to 5-2, while McGill dropped to 2-5. The two teams will now switch venues and tango again on Saturday (Jan. 14) in a 4 p.m. tip-off at Love Competition Hall.

BOXSCORE

RSEQ STANDINGS & STATS
 
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca
@EarlZukerman (twitter)