MONTREAL – Karl-Tommy Laforest scored a game-high 16 points and pulled down eight rebounds as the visiting UQAM Citadins stole victory from the jaws of defeat and rallied for 64-62 victory over McGill in RSEQ men's basketball, Saturday, at Love Competition Hall.
 
The Redbirds appeared to be in complete control, winning the opening quarter 23-14 and maintaining a 40-28 advantage at halftime. After the intermission, McGill led 44-31 with 7:34 remaining in the third stanza. But UQAM then went on a 15-4 run to win the quarter 18-8 and then took the final stanza 18-14.
 
A layup by sophomore starter Luis Micourt put McGill ahead 62-61 with 2:56 remaining in the contest but 30 seconds later, Laforest retaliated with his own layup to put the Citadins ahead by one. Steevan Diaz-Beljour added a free-throw with nine seconds remaining to ice the contest.
 
Micourt and Isaac Moore, a freshman off the bench, led the Redbirds with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Teammates Joshua Soifer (8) and Alexis Messier (7) were next on the scoresheet, while McGill sniper Georges Lefebvre was held to six points and a game-high eight rebounds. Redbirds starter Saransh Padhy was in early foul trouble, scored only four points and eventually fouled out.
 
UQAM held a 48-39 margin in rebounding and a favourable 21-14 advantage in turnovers. The visitors, who were assessed two technical fouls, shot 16-for-25 from the free-throw line, while McGill only went 10-for-17.
 
The Citadins connected on just 30 per cent in their field-goal shooting (21/70) and went 6-for-25 from long-distance. McGill shot 43.4 per cent (23/53) and made six of 16 from the arc.
 
The Redbirds have dropped two of three confrontations versus the Citadins this season and now lead the all-time head-to-head series 53-39. These inner-city rivals have one more rendezvous slated for Feb. 22 at UQAM.
 
With a 3-5 record, the Citadins now sit third in the five-team RSEQ conference, two points ahead of McGill (2-5). With nine games left to play, the Redbirds are now in a two-way tie with Laval (2-5) for the last playoff berth. McGill will now prepare for a home-and-home with Concordia (5-1). The Redbirds will host at the Currie Gym on Thursday (Jan. 16) at 8 p.m., then travel across town on Jan. 18 to play in a 4 p.m. tip-off at the John Dore Court.

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RSEQ STATS & STANDINGS

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SOURCE
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
CELL: 514-983-7012
E-MAIL:earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca