(VERSION FRANÇAISE SUIT)
SUDBURY, Ont. — Godwin Ilumoka scored a game-high 20 points as the Memorial University Sea-Hawks rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat McGill 73-68 in men's preseason basketball at the Peter Campbell Voyageurs Classic, Friday, at the Ben Avery Gym.
The victory improved Memorial's preseason record to 2-3, while McGill dropped to 1-4 after the second day of the three-day tournament.
The Redbirds led 54-52 after three quarters and stretched their advantage to six points early in the fourth before Memorial responded with a decisive late surge. The Sea-Hawks outscored McGill 21-14 in the final stanza to secure the five-point victory.
The biggest statistical difference came at the free-throw line and on the offensive glass. Memorial made 18 of 31 free throws, compared with 10 of 14 for McGill, and held an 11-5 advantage in offensive rebounds. The Sea-Hawks also generated 13 second-chance points, compared with four for the Redbirds.
Saransh Padhy paced McGill with 17 points and a game-high eight rebounds. The senior forward shot 7-for-10 from the floor and added two assists in 32 minutes.
Rookie guard Antoine Bowen contributed 15 points and a game-high eight assists, shooting 7-for-12 from the field, including one three-pointer. He also collected two rebounds and a steal in 37 minutes.
Isaac Moore added 12 points on an efficient 5-for-6 shooting performance, including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc. Miles King chipped in 11 points and five rebounds, connecting on three of eight attempts from three-point range.
Alexandre Reinert-Woodfine contributed seven points and three steals off the bench, while Johann-Martles Youkna-Kamtcheu added two points, three rebounds and two assists.
Ilumoka led Memorial with 20 points, six rebounds and three steals. He shot 7-for-15 from the floor and made five of seven free throws. Josh Reimer followed with 14 points, while Jodick Moudiandambu added 13 on 5-for-6 shooting, including three of four attempts from long distance. Azhyawn Downey contributed eight points off the bench.
McGill started strongly, shooting 64.3 per cent from the floor in the opening quarter and building a game-high 10-point advantage before taking a 27-23 lead into the second.
The Redbirds struggled offensively in the second quarter, making just four of 15 field-goal attempts and failing to connect on either of their three-point attempts. Memorial outscored McGill 15-10, capped by an Ilumoka three-pointer at the buzzer, to take a 38-37 lead into halftime.
McGill regained the upper hand after the break, shooting 58.3 per cent in the third quarter and outscoring Memorial 17-14. Padhy supplied nine points in the period, helping the Redbirds carry a two-point advantage into the final stanza.
The Redbirds stretched their lead to 62-56 on a Moore three-pointer with 6:30 remaining, but Memorial responded with an 8-0 run to move ahead 64-62. McGill pulled to within two points at 66-64 with 2:42 left, but Moudiandambu drained a three-pointer with 1:34 remaining to give the Sea-Hawks a 71-64 cushion.
McGill was unable to close the gap, missing both free throws with 38 seconds remaining as Memorial held on for the victory.
Despite the setback, McGill enjoyed a considerable advantage in shooting accuracy, connecting on 49.1 per cent of its field-goal attempts, compared with 36.9 per cent for Memorial. The Redbirds also shot 40 per cent from three-point range, making six of 15 attempts, while the Sea-Hawks went 7-for-25 for 28 per cent.
Memorial compensated with a higher volume of shots, attempting 65 field goals compared with 53 for McGill. The Sea-Hawks held a narrow 27-26 advantage in rebounding and committed 12 turnovers, compared with 16 by the Redbirds.
McGill held a 34-32 edge in points from the paint and a 17-4 advantage in assists, while Memorial's bench outscored the Redbirds' reserves 18-11.
The Peter Campbell Voyageurs Classic concludes Saturday. McGill will face the Saskatchewan Huskies at noon, while Memorial takes on host Laurentian at 2:30 p.m.
STATS: Memorial 73, McGill 68
U SPORTS SCOREBOARD: Men's basketball
