Reds Pound Panthers 91-74

(CHARLOTTETOWN, PE) Behind a powerful third quarter surge, the UNB Reds took down the UPEI Panthers 91-74 on Thursday night, their fifth consecutive win.

The game, originally scheduled for Friday, was moved to avoid issues with weather affecting the region.

After taking a six-point lead at the half, the Reds came out and doubled-up the Panthers 34-17 in the decisive quarter.

The home team had no answers for Marcus Masters (Kitchener, ON) and Ibrahima Doumbouya (Calgary, AB), who combined for 18 points in that 10-minute stretch. Doumbouya finished with a game-high 27 points, on 10-of-16 shooting, and 11 rebounds for the double-double, while Masters had 16 points and five assists.

"We turned up the heat," said Reds head coach Brent Baker. "We did what we needed to do in terms of banging shots and coming out relaxed."

Chris Spurrell (Quispamsis, NB) had a solid game with 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals, while Daniel Pitcher (Sydney, Australia) and Derian Valdes (Calgary, AB) reached double figures as well, with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

"Sharing the ball is hard to preach these days, but when we do share it, we're a much better team," Baker said.

Doumbouya and UPEI's Adam Ryan (Stratford, PE) went toe-to-toe as each player scored six of their teams' first 15 points in a tie game. Spurrell and Valdes then attacked the basket for back-to-back three-point plays, before the Panthers closed the opening quarter on a 9-3 run, capped off by a lay-in at the buzzer to take a 24-23 lead.

The Reds opened the second on an 8-3 run, led by Doumbouya. The gifted forward had five of those points and helped his team take over the lead 30-27. 

At the half, UNB was up 41-35.

UNB made it 12-point game in the opening minute of the third on back-to-back three-pointers by Masters and Doumbouya. Later, the Reds went on a huge 21-1 run to break the game open and push ahead 68-38. Through three, UNB led 75-72.

"We added a little bit of pressure on defence and we hit some shots. That's usually how it goes," said Baker of his team's third quarter performance.

The Panthers cut the UNB lead to as few as 15 with four minutes to spare in the fourth, but Pitcher ended any hope of a UPEI comeback with an ensuing triple to make it 85-67. The Reds would go on to win it 91-74.

Ryan had his best game of the season for UPEI scoring 14 points. Elijah Miller (Etobicoke, ON) had a team-high 17 points and four assists.

With the win, the Reds are now 11-and-5, and move back into second place in the Atlantic University Sport standings, two points up on St FX. UNB now heads to Antigonish for a crucial four-point game against the X-Men, on Saturday.

The Panthers, now 3-and-12, visit Acadia on Saturday.

RECAP BY: Thomas Becker/for UPEI Athletics

PHOTOS BY: Janessa Hogan/for UPEI Athletics