ST. CATHARINES, Ont. - The 2024 opener did not go the way the unbeaten and No. 10 nationally ranked TMU Bold women's basketball team hoped, dropping their first contest of the season to the Brock Badgers by a 78-56 score line.

Outside of first-year guard Catrina Garvey, who tied her career-high with 21 points, the Bold offence struggled to find a spark, tying their lowest total points so far this season.

The two teams started the game fairly evenly matched, with both teams adjusting to the pace of play after the holiday break. After 10 minutes, the Bold trailed 17-15.

Brock began the second quarter on a 7-2 run, forcing an early Bold timeout, but TMU was never able to right the ship after that. By halftime the visitors found themselves down 46-31.

The struggles continued in the second half as the Bold were able to muster just seven points in the third stanza, seeing the Badgers' lead balloon to 69-38 after three quarters.

The fourth quarter saw Jessica Keripe provide the bulk of the offence, driving to the net and converting from the foul line, but it was too little, too late for the visitors, who eventually fell by 22 points.

The first loss of the season moves TMU's record to 10-1 and the Bold will look to rebound next week when they return to action next Friday in Windsor.