Sam Reynolds / The McGill Tribune

Winning is becoming routine for the McGill women’s basketball team, as the Martlets defeated the Laval Rouge et Or on Saturday night in a game in which they never trailed. The 69-64 victory was McGill’s seventh straight to start the new year, and the ninth of their last 10 dating back to 2011, placing them atop the RSEQ standings. 

The Martlets were again anchored by senior centre Anneth Him-Lazarenko, who recorded her second double-double in as many nights, with 19 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Him-Lazarenko was particularly effective at the foul line, where she went seven for eight, a good sign for a team that has struggled of late from the charity stripe. 

McGill started the game on a quick 11-4 run, helped by five quick points from guard Marie-Eve Martin, who continued her fine season with 12 points and three rebounds on the night. Laval closed the gap by the end of the first quarter thanks to their strong perimeter shooting. 

This outside shooting prowess didn’t stop, as the Rouge et Or were extremely proficient from the outside (9/14 3PT) throughout the game, led by Elyse Jobin and Chanelle St-Amour, who finished with 18 and 20 points respectively. After McGill extended their lead to 10 with under four minutes to play in the first half, St-Amour and fellow teammate Sandrine Ducruc netted two threes to cut the Martlets’ lead to six at halftime.  

McGill is becoming known around the RSEQ as a team that often falls behind early, but makes late runs in the second half to come back. On Saturday, however, they were faced with a new task—having to defend a lead for an entire half. 

They opened the third quarter with play that mirrored their first half—solid shooting, precise ball movement, and dominance on the glass. They maintained their composure throughout the frame, despite a couple of pushes by the Rouge et Or. Him-Lazarenko scored eight of McGill’s first nine points of the half, extending the Martlets’ lead to nine midway through the quarter. Laval, led by their aggressiveness to the basket and their hot shooting, lessened the lead to just three before third-year forward Helene Bibeau caught fire, scoring seven points in the last two minutes of the third. 

The Martlets entered the final quarter with a 14-point lead and maintained their stranglehold on the game, despite a few late but insignificant baskets by Laval. 

The contest was characterized by strong all-around play by the Martlets, as they received contributions from their entire team. One standout was freshman Tiye Traore, who contributed to McGill’s 40-28 advantage on the glass, grabbing a career-high 10 rebounds. Nine different Martlets scored during the game, and veteran guard Natalie Larocque wasn’t even one of them, a sign that this team has the depth necessary to guide them to the RSEQ championship.

The win comes a day after the Martlets dropped Bishop’s by a score of 63-55, marking another successful weekend for the women. The two victories leave McGill with 18 points, six more than second-place Concordia. 

The Martlets need four points to clinch their second-straight division title with only four games left in the season, three of which come on the road. The Martlets’ last home game is Feb. 23 against Bishop’s.