HAMILTON, ONT. — The No. 2 nationally ranked Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women's basketball team defeated the No. 5 nationally ranked McMaster Marauders 78-57 on Halloween night in their most impressive win of the 2026–27 season yet.
TMU entered the matchup living up to its lofty ranking, having emerged victorious 75-30 (at Laurier) and 74-40 (at Brock) in its first two games of the season. McMaster's No. 5 ranking presented a legitimate threat to Bold Head Coach
Stefanija Mrvaljevic's squad.
Entering the game, the Marauders allowed the third-fewest points per game (40.5) in the province: a rival to TMU's number one rank of 35.0. McMaster also held intimidating offensive prowess, leading the OUA in scoring with an impressive 97.5 points per game in two wins against Nipissing and Toronto.
The Bold came out swinging, clicking on the offensive and defensive ends to build an 18-4 lead. McMaster shot just 2-of-12 from the field.
Guard
Catrina Garvey got downhill with ease, scoring 10 points during the run. The fourth-year finished with 26 points, her highest scoring total since November of 2024.
The Marauders' offence kicked back in after a timeout, bringing it back to 18-13. Things remained close until near the end of the second quarter, when TMU caught fire once again.
The Bold stormed to a 16-3 run and ballooned their lead back up to 11. Guard
Myriam Kone, the team's top scorer this season, scored eight points during the run and opened up the team's scoring in the third with a three-pointer and a layup.
Kone finished with a game-high 27 points, her highest total of the season. The fifth-year leads the OUA in scoring at 21.0 points per game and was unstoppable against the Marauders. Kone attacked the rim with ease, pulled up for aesthetic mid-range shots, and knocked down a three to finish on 12-of-24 shooting.
Led by Kone's hot hand, the Bold maintained their dominance for the remainder of the second half. A picturesque defence-to-offence sequence provided the perfect example of the squad's two-way play. Forward
Hailey Franco DeRyck denied a McMaster player's shot at the rim, which led to a one-woman advantage on the fast break. After some snappy ball movement, guard
Alex Pino finished off the layup to complete the play.
Franco DeRyck played a game-high 35 minutes, providing –
as per usual
– elite defence at all three levels with two steals and two blocks. The fourth-year scored nine points and corralled 11 rebounds.
With a win over the fifth-ranked team in the country, the Bold have firmly cemented themselves as a top contender in the U SPORTS women's basketball scene. If their offence and defence continues to click, opponents will have a tough time taking them out of games.
Mrvaljevic's squad now has three days to rest before taking on their inner-city rivals, the Toronto Varsity Blues, on Nov. 4 at the Goldring Centre. Their home opener will follow two days later against the Windsor Lancers, featuring a banner-raising ceremony to celebrate their 2025–26 Critelli Cup championship win.
Tip-off against Toronto is set for 6 p.m., and fans can tune into the game live on OUA.tv.
