MONTREAL – Seyna Diggs, a freshman from Montreal, score a game-high 15 points as McGill surprised UQAM, the defending conference champions, with a convincing 71-47 victory to officially begin the RSEQ women's basketball campaign, Thursday, at the Centre Sportif.
 
It marked the first time in six years that the Martlets were victorious in their regular season opener, dating back to a 57-56 conquest, also over UQAM, on Nov. 8, 2018. The result was also McGill's second win in the last three confrontations with the Citadins.
 
McGill won each of the first three quarters, leading 18-15 after the first, 42-23 at halftime and 57-31 after three. The Citadins took the last frame 16-14. The Martlets bench outscored UQAM's spares by a lopsided 29-4 margin.
 
Fredlaine Verrier registered a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds to pace the Citadins, who finished third in the five-team Quebec league last year with a 9-7 record, but went on to post playoff upsets over second-place Laval and top-seeded Bishop's.

Diggs, a 6-foot-1 forward, shot 6-for-10 from the field, including an impressive 3-for-5 performance from downtown. The 19-year-old Arts freshman added four rebounds, in a game-high 33 minutes of playing time.
 
She was one of three Martlets in double digits, joining Stephy Tchoukuiegno (14) of St. Laurent, Que., and Montrealer Daniella Mbengo (11). Tchoukuiegno, an elementary education sophomore, pulled down eight rebounds and added a pair of assists with three steals. Mbengo, a second-year social work major, pulled down four boards and added four assists.
 
McGill, which won the turnover battle 16-12, shot 37.5 per cent (27/72) from the field, drained six of 25 attempts from three-point territory and went 11-for-18 from the line. The Citadins responded by shooting 31 per cent from the floor (18/58), making only four of 15 from the arc and going 7-for-14 from the charity stripe.
 
UQAM (0-1) returns to the court on Nov. 10, when they travel to Laval (0-0) for a 6 p.m. start, while McGill (1-0) plays at Concordia (1-0) on Nov. 11 in a 2 p.m. tip-off.
 
BOXSCORE
 
RSEQ STANDINGS
 
SOURCE
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
CELL: 514-983-7012
E-MAIL:earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca