MONTREAL – Emma-Jane Scotten scored a game-high 19 points but it was all in vain as the McGill women's basketball team let a 13-point lead slip away and division-leading Laval rallied for a 64-58 victory at Love Competition Hall, Saturday.
 
It was a fifth consecutive setback for McGill (7-7), after winning six of the previous seven. With two games left to play, the Martlets are assured of post-season play and can finish third or fourth in the RSEQ conference. They currently sit third with a four point lead over Concordia (5-8). The result also left Laval (11-2) tied with Bishop's (11-3) atop the five-team league.
 
McGill led 12-10 after the first quarter and took what appeared to be a commanding 36-23 lead with 50 seconds remaining until halftime. But the Rouge et Or reduce to gap to 36-27 by the intermission, then came out of the break as a different team. They took the third quarter 21-14 and the final stanza 16-8.
 
Scotten shot 6-for-10 from the field, including a sizzling 5-for-6 effort from beyond the arc, and went 2-for-2 from the charity stripe. She pulled down five rebounds, to go along with four assists and a pair of steals. The five treys matched the team's season-high previously accomplished by Scotten when she went 5-for-5 in a 102-45 win over UQAM on Nov. 23.
 
Sabrine Khelifi was one of four Laval players in double digit scoring with 14 points. BU teammates Lea-Sophie Verret and Rosemarie Dumont each added a dozen points and Brinly Holt had 10.
 
Other leading scorers for the Martlets were Seyna Diggs (9 rebounds) and Daniella Mbengo with 11 points apiece, along with Lily Rose Chatila (8 pts, 6 assists).
 
McGill was without the services of senior Katie Rathwell, who suffered a lower body injury in the previous game, played at Quebec City.
 
Laval took advantage of 17 McGill turnovers that translated directly into 16 points, compared to the 11 points that the Martlets netted from 11 Rouge et or miscues.
 
The visitors shot 39 per cent from the floor (23/59), 5-for-27 from three-point range and 13-for-18 from the free-throw line. The Martlets shot 32.3 per cent (20/62), made 10 of 29 from downtown and went a perfect 8-for-8 from the stripe.
 
It was a milestone win for Laval, which improved to 100-78 overall against McGill since the series was initiated in 1971-72.

McGill will close out the regular season at home against Bishop's (Feb. 15 at 4 pm) and on the road at UQAM (Feb. 22 at 1 pm).
 
BOXSCORE
 
RSEQ STATS & STANDINGS
 
U SPORTS STANDINGS
 
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
McGill Athletics and Recreation
(514) 983- 7012
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca
www.mcgillathletics.ca