TORONTO – The Ryerson Rams hosted the No. 3 Ottawa Gee-Gees on Friday night for the first time this season. The Gee-Gees came in as the favoured team and they did not disappoint, showing their play making skills and their strong, hard defence. But the Rams remained resilient, powering through and almost making a comeback, but they would fall 74-72. 

"We just got to keep battling," said head coach Carly Clarke. "If we want to compete for a national championship, we've got to play multiple games in a row at a high level."

The Gee-Gees would win possession off of the tip off, but it would be the Rams who would shoot first. Forward Rachel Farwell (Rothesay, N.B.) would get the Rams on the board first with a three-pointer. Then, on the next play, Marin Scotten (Ottawa, Ont.) would contribute her own three. The Rams would be up by six less than a minute into the first quarter. After trading shots, the Gee-Gees would eventually claim the lead and would hold a two-point advantage at the end of the first quarter.

The Rams would eventually tie the score just a little over two minutes into the second quarter. But by the five-minute mark the Gee-Gees racked up a nine-point lead. Ottawa showed their strength both on rebounding and defensively as they got 23 rebounds, five blocks, two steals, and caused 10 turnovers in the first half. Despite those stats the Rams got to within three going to the half. Guard Hayley Robertson (Toronto) scored two crucial back-to-back three pointers, one of them being a buzzer-beater to cut down on the lead. 

"Hayley's just a gamer," said Clarke. "She makes plays, did it all game."

The Rams would take back the lead early on in the third quarter after scoring five unanswered points. Farwell would get it started again with another three. She would end up with 12 points – all from beyond the arc – and four rebounds, and two steals. The Gee-Gees would strike back, and former Ram Katherine Follis would tie it up with two free throws. Follis led the Gee-Gees with 18 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. The Gee-Gees would eventually get to a 10-point lead with just under three minutes left in the quarter, but the Rams proved their resilience and were able to cut the lead down to four, highlighted by another Farwell three. 

The fourth quarter was wild as both teams traded threes, and the Rams began to creep up on the Gee-Gees. Scotten, Farwell and Robertson would all contribute from beyond the arc, eventually getting to within two in the final minutes. With the chance to tie the game or take the lead, the Rams started a drive, but a foul would give the Gee-Gees the ball with 0.04 seconds left on the clock and the game would end with a heartbreaking 74-72 score.  

"That's two great teams, two top teams in the country coming down to the last possession," said Clarke. "Are there some things we can clean up and be better at? No question, but happy with how hard we battled." 

The Rams are back in action at home on Saturday, January 25 at 6:00 p.m. ET against the No. 5 Carleton Ravens. Watch the game live on OUA.tv.