WBB: Farmer leads MacEwan to big post-season win
March 4, 2022
CALGARY - Mackenzie Farmer scored 10 of her game-high 26 points in the fourth quarter to lead the MacEwan University women's basketball team to a 69-63 win over UBC-Okanagan in the First Round of the Canada West Tournament, played on the campus of the University of Calgary inside the Jack Simpson Gym.
The Griffins flipped a two-point deficit at the half into an eight-point lead after three and were able to come up with clutch plays down the stretch to advance to the second round.
"For this group, it's their first playoff experience," MacEwan head coach Katherine Adams said. "I think there were a little bit of nerves to start, coming out a little shaky. But, it was a really gritty performance to come back after UBCO fought hard and got the lead in the first half. Hopefully now that we've got some playoff experience, tomorrow there will be less nerves and we'll come out and play our brand of basketball right from the get go."
Farmer - a Canada West Second Team All-Star - scored her 26 on 9-of-21 shooting, including going 8-12 from the charity stripe. Noelle Kilbreath added 17 points of her own, while Shannon Majeau also scored in double figures, finishing with 10 points and five boards.
Jaeli Ibbetson led the way for the Heat with 17 points, while Kelsey Falk added a double-double of 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
After starting the game down 10-2, the Heat responded in a big way. UBCO's transition offence and offensive rebounding helped spark a 12-2, capped by a three-ball from Ibbetson to give the Heat their first lead at 14-12.
UBCO held their biggest lead of the day after a three from Lucy Faba made it 30-24 with 7:26 left to play in the first half. The Heat connected on five first-half three-pointers and held a 39-37 lead at the break.
But the Heat's shooting went ice cold in the third, going just 3-17 in the frame, while MacEwan attacked the rim and went ahead 54-46 after a Majeau layup late in the third.
"In our team meeting (at halftime), we basically just came back on the same page," Farmer said. "In the second quarter, we were all on a different page. People were trying to do too much. People weren't doing enough. We were not on the same page. So, we regrouped, went over the game plan again and said we needed to stick to it. It was working. They might have a run, but it was only a two-point deficit at half. So, we said 'We got this.' We came out (in the second half), we hit hard and we proved it."
The Heat refused to quit, cutting the gap to just two at 57-55 after a Brianna Falk bucket with 4:22 to play, but couldn't get any closer as MacEwan came up with big baskets down the stretch.
"I'm really proud of our team," UBCO head coach Bobby Mitchell said. "I thought we played hard. The girls competed. MacEwan went on a couple of runs and we went on a couple of runs. We battled hard and I am proud of them."
"We're a young group, competitive, and in most games. Just really proud of the girls and what we have shown from October to now."
The win moves MacEwan on to the second round, where they'll go up against fourth-seeded Trinity Western at 3 p.m., again at Calgary's Jack Simpson Gym.
The Griffins flipped a two-point deficit at the half into an eight-point lead after three and were able to come up with clutch plays down the stretch to advance to the second round.
"For this group, it's their first playoff experience," MacEwan head coach Katherine Adams said. "I think there were a little bit of nerves to start, coming out a little shaky. But, it was a really gritty performance to come back after UBCO fought hard and got the lead in the first half. Hopefully now that we've got some playoff experience, tomorrow there will be less nerves and we'll come out and play our brand of basketball right from the get go."
Farmer - a Canada West Second Team All-Star - scored her 26 on 9-of-21 shooting, including going 8-12 from the charity stripe. Noelle Kilbreath added 17 points of her own, while Shannon Majeau also scored in double figures, finishing with 10 points and five boards.
Jaeli Ibbetson led the way for the Heat with 17 points, while Kelsey Falk added a double-double of 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
After starting the game down 10-2, the Heat responded in a big way. UBCO's transition offence and offensive rebounding helped spark a 12-2, capped by a three-ball from Ibbetson to give the Heat their first lead at 14-12.
UBCO held their biggest lead of the day after a three from Lucy Faba made it 30-24 with 7:26 left to play in the first half. The Heat connected on five first-half three-pointers and held a 39-37 lead at the break.
But the Heat's shooting went ice cold in the third, going just 3-17 in the frame, while MacEwan attacked the rim and went ahead 54-46 after a Majeau layup late in the third.
"In our team meeting (at halftime), we basically just came back on the same page," Farmer said. "In the second quarter, we were all on a different page. People were trying to do too much. People weren't doing enough. We were not on the same page. So, we regrouped, went over the game plan again and said we needed to stick to it. It was working. They might have a run, but it was only a two-point deficit at half. So, we said 'We got this.' We came out (in the second half), we hit hard and we proved it."
The Heat refused to quit, cutting the gap to just two at 57-55 after a Brianna Falk bucket with 4:22 to play, but couldn't get any closer as MacEwan came up with big baskets down the stretch.
"I'm really proud of our team," UBCO head coach Bobby Mitchell said. "I thought we played hard. The girls competed. MacEwan went on a couple of runs and we went on a couple of runs. We battled hard and I am proud of them."
"We're a young group, competitive, and in most games. Just really proud of the girls and what we have shown from October to now."
The win moves MacEwan on to the second round, where they'll go up against fourth-seeded Trinity Western at 3 p.m., again at Calgary's Jack Simpson Gym.