It was a busy Thursday to Sunday in U Sports women’s basketball, with a full slate of important games across all four conferences.

In the AUS, the Acadia Axe-Women played host to the University of New Brunswick Reds. Meanwhile in Quebec, the Concordia Stingers played their rivals McGill; and in Ontario the Ryerson Rams hosted both Ottawa Gee- Gees and Carleton Ravens. Out west, the top two teams in the country went head-to-head as number one Saskatchewan Huskies faced the second place University of Calgary Dinos.

AUS Game of The Week: Acadia Axe-Women vs. UNB Reds

The UNB Reds entered their Friday and Saturday games riding a five-game winning streak. The Reds were looking to show that they can keep up with the top dogs in the conference, with the opportunity to take down the defending AUS champion Axe-Women.

However, the Axe-Women proved too much to handle and won both games, ending the Reds win streak. Acadia won the first game by a wide margin of 82-59. That game saw senior guard Haley McDonald set the record for most threes by an Axe-Women in school history. McDonald finished the night with 19 points which was the most among all players. UNB’s fourth- year point guard Mikaela Dodig had 13 points and two rebounds in the loss.

Saturday was Acadia’s “Bell Let’s Talk” game and the Axe-Women once again emerged victorious, 67-51, to complete the sweep. Junior guard Rachel Clouatre- Trudeau led the way for the Acadia with 16 points and four rebounds. Once again, the Reds’ Dodig scored 13 points along with five rebounds.

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With the two wins over the weekend, the Axe-Women move their record to 11-3 and take first place in the conference after the Memorial Sea-Hawks lost to the CBU Capers, 68-65 on Saturday. Acadia is riding a five- game winning streak while Reds move their record to 7-7 in fourth place. Acadia plays St. FX on Friday while the Reds will play the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers on Saturday; the Panthers enter the game riding a six game win streak.

RSEQ Game of the Week: Concordia Stingers vs. McGill Martlets

The McGill Martlets and Concordia Stingers were both sitting at the bottom of RSEQ standings when they entered their head-to-head games on Thursday and Saturday. The Martlets played with determination and swept the series. They won 66-58 on Thursday, and 75-53 on Saturday afternoon. In Thursday’s game, McGill were led by fifth-year year centre Sirah Diarra who had 16 points and nine rebounds, meanwhile the Stingers were led by second-year guard Nelly Owusu who had 17 points along with six rebounds. In Saturday’s win, Martlet fourth- year forward Nadege Pluviose drained 14 points and six rebounds. Diarra closed out a solid weekend with a double-double for the Martlets with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Once again, Owusu was the Stingers’ leading scorer and hit 12 points and seven rebounds in the loss.

A key factor in McGill’s two wins was that they were able to contain Concordia’s one-two punch of second-year point- guard Myriam Leclerc and fourth-year guard Caroline Task. The dynamic duo are ranked fourth and fifth in RSEQ scoring. Leclerc had 12 points and four rebounds, and 8 points and six rebounds, in Thursday and Saturday’s games, respectively. Task scored 4 points and four rebounds on Thursday, and 10 points and 4 rebounds on Saturday.

McGill’s wins this weekend have bumped their record up to 5-7 and now sit fourth in the RSEQ standings, while the Stingers sink to fifth with a record of 3-6. McGill does not have any games this week, and will play Bishop’s Gaiters next Thursday night. On the other hand, the Stingers will begin a home-and-home series with the Gaiters on Thursday night at Concordia. The Gaiters currently sit in second place in the conference with an record of 5-4. A strong showing by the Stingers could reignite playoff hopes. After all, anything is possible in the wild RSEQ.

OUA Games of the Week: Ryerson Rams vs Ottawa Gee-Gee/Carleton Ravens

It was a make or break weekend for the fifth-place Ryerson Rams as they hosted the third-place Ottawa Gee-Gees and fourth-placed Carleton Ravens in back-to-back games. On Friday night, the Gee-Gees took care of business beating the Rams, 74-72. The Gee-Gees got a big game from ex-Rams forward, Katherine Follis who had 18 points and seven rebounds in a grudge match her former team. The Rams were led by fifth-year guard Hayley Robinson with 19 points and four rebounds in the loss, and also got a big game from third-year guard, Marin Scotten who recorded a double- double with 18 points and ten rebounds. The Rams overcame their disappointing loss when they beat the Ravens 51-49 on a last second three- pointer by Marin Scotten. Scotten dropped 21 points in the victory along with five rebounds. The Ravens, meanwhile, were led by third-year guard, Madison Reid who hit 17 points and two rebounds in Carleton’s loss.

The road does not get any easier for the Rams as they will host the defending national champions and OUA champions, McMaster Marauders tonight and the eighth-place Brock Badgers on Saturday night. The Gee- Gees next two games are on the road against the Windsor Lancers (9) on Friday and the Western Mustangs (7) on Saturday. The Ravens will also visit both Western and Windsor this weekend, playing Western on Friday and Windsor on Saturday. These weekend games in the OUA will be a big test and preview for the OUA playoffs which start in just a few weeks.

Canada West Game of the Week: Calgary Dinos vs. Saskatchewan Huskies

The nationally top-ranked Saskatchewan Huskies hosted number-two Calgary Dinos in one of the most anticipated matchups in U Sports this season. The two schools split the series as Saskatchewan won Friday’s game in a 66-38 blowout. Huskies’ fourth- year forward, Summer Masikewich had 18 points and seven rebounds in the win, while fifth-year Erin McIntosh led the way for the Dinos with 15 points and four rebounds in the loss. The next night, the Dinos fought back and won 76-71, ending the Huskies’ dream of an undefeated season. The Dinos were led by fourth-year wing Bobbi Jo-Colburn who had 21 points and five rebounds in the victory. The Huskies got a big game from third-year forward, Kyla Shand who had 21 points along with 20 points along with six rebounds in their defeat.

Following the split series, the Huskies move their record to 15-1 and will be playing two games this weekend against the UBCO Heat at home. Meanwhile the Dinos, with the same record, will be hosting the Alberta Pandas tomorrow and Saturday.