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TMU Athletics & Recreation

THE OFFICIAL HOME OF TMU Bold
THE OFFICIAL HOME OF THE TMU Bold HOME OF THE TMU Bold
WBB: OUA Banner 2022
Photo by Michael P. Hall
72
Winner Ryerson Rams RYE 14-0
70
Brock Badgers BRO 12-0
Winner
Ryerson Rams RYE
14-0
72
Final
70
Brock Badgers BRO
12-0
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 OT 1 F
Ryerson Rams RYE 10 15 11 31 5 72
Brock Badgers BRO 19 17 16 15 3 70

Game Recap: Basketball (W) | | Emile Riga

Rams complete undefeated season, win OUA Championship

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. - The Rams women's basketball team made history and completed a 22-point fourth quarter comeback against the Brock Badgers in the OUA Critelli Cup final, winning 72-70 on the road.

Capping off a 17-0 season, the Rams claimed their first championship in the program since 2016, and the first in Rams athletics since 2018.
 
Jama Bin-Edward won player of the match and scored a team-high of 23 points, including a clutch drive in overtime to lift the Rams in the end.

"To start, she kind of kept us in it," expressed Rams head coach Carly Clarke about Bin-Edward after the win. "She had some poise for us when we were really struggling to score."

The game was certainly one for the history books, as the Rams shot poorly throughout the game, only connecting late in the fourth quarter.

"They kept believing the whole game," Clarke added in regards to her team's mindset and the comeback.

Right off the bat at the Bob Davis Gym in St. Catharines, the Rams struggled on both ends as they allowed a 9-0 run by Brock, forcing a Rams timeout down 12-4. Trailing 19-10 after the first quarter, it was Bin-Edward leading with six points and keeping the Rams alive.

With another Brock run to open the second quarter to go down 33-21, and ultimately going down 36-25 at halftime, the Rams, the best three point shooting team in the OUA, were 0-14 from beyond the arc and their league-leading defence had given up a season high of 36 points at half. 

To be down only 11 was an encouraging sign for the Rams going into the second half, as the Rams were shooting 28% from the field on high volume, 0% from three and the Badgers had efficient shooting across the board. 

The Rams were also executing their typical high-press that saw some results, still leading the Badgers in steals and turnovers generated.

The third quarter continued to be a struggle, however, as the Rams still saw very few shots falling, shooting just 1-10 from three and 4-22 from the field. The Rams were able to lean on their defence in the third and did not allow a single three in the quarter, with Brock showing signs of their offence slowing down.

Despite the strong defence to end the third, the Rams found themselves down 61-39 with 7:05 left in the game, their largest deficit of the afternoon.

It was then history started to be made for the Rams, as they chipped away at their deficit and strung together defensive stops. Overwhelming the Badgers with their press, they began forcing turnovers and the Rams now had the belief to capitalize.
 
It took a 28-6 run in the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter, but the Rams tied it up at 67-67 to stun the home crowd and send the game to overtime.

The 28-6 run saw the Rams sink four three pointers after only making one the entire game. A collection of plays made by Stefanija Mrvaljevic, Kyia Giles, Rachel Farwell and Mikaela Dodig made that run happen. Most notably, Dodig sank two three pointers while Farwell converted a three and an and-one play.

The Badgers scored to begin overtime, reclaiming the lead and showing some resilience. It seemed however that the Rams had come too far to lose and took control of the game, with Bin-Edward making a layup, Eve Uwayesu driving the lane and finishing, and Giles scoring one last free throw to give the Rams the two-point lead that they saw out to the end.

Aside from the win and historic comeback, the story of the game was surely Bin-Edward's performance, carrying the team in the lowest moments and being a leader in all aspects. Bin-Edward missed the 2019-20 OUA Final due to a devastating injury, so this performance was certainly a demonstration of resilience, patience and perseverance. 

"Down the stretch… Defensively… Phew, what an impact," Clarke shared with pride when further discussing Bin-Edward's performance.

"I'm just so proud and happy for her after everything she's overcome, to get back to that moment and that stage," she added.

After taking the time to celebrate, the Rams will shift their focus to the U SPORTS Final 8 national championship in Kingston, from March 31 to April 3, 2022.

"We'll be reminding ourselves of all of the different situations we've been through and had success with this season," Clarke concluded when discussing the trip to Kingston next week.

Seeding for the national championship will be announced on Sunday, March 27.
 
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