Box Score It was a dominant 87-41 win for the McMaster women's basketball team against the Algoma Thunderbirds, as it honoured the graduating seniors at the last home game of the regular season on Saturday night.
 
Mac started the game strong with Vanessa Pickard knocking down back-to-back triples, while scoring the first eight points for McMaster. The Marauder senior went into the second quarter with ten points as the Marauders led 21-7.
 
McMaster really caught fire in the second quarter opening up on a 20-2 run, as six different Marauders contributed to the blitz. The Maroon went into halftime with an impressive 49-17 lead, holding Algoma to just 28% shooting from the field in the first two quarters.
 
The Thunderbirds tightened up their defence to start the second half, but couldn't contain Danielle Boiago who scored nine of the Marauders' 14 third quarter points.
 
Mac was able to get rolling again in the fourth quarter, as they opened up on a 12-0 run that secured the 46-point victory.
 
Boiago led McMaster in scoring with 24 points and added seven rebounds and five assists. Pickard added 14 points with six boards and Rachael Holmes added 13 points and two steals.
 
The Marauders forced 30 turnovers leading to 32 McMaster points and dominated the passing lanes dishing out 25 assists compared to just seven for Algoma.
 
After the game, this year's graduating seniors -- Boiago, Pickard, Holmes and Clare Kenney -- were all recognized for their efforts as Marauders in an emotional moment.
 
"It's disappointing that I only got a handful of games here at Burridge but each game was special and I learned to cherish them all," said Pickard.  "I've learned so much from Coach Burns just from being here in these short two years and I think I'm going to carry that on through the rest of my life."
 
After an ACL injury kept Pickard out for most of last season, she made it back into the line-up this season with averages of 10.6 PPG and 4 RPG while shooting almost 40% from beyond the arc.
 
Holmes has now spent five years in a Marauder uniform and serves as one of the team's co-captains. This year she is averaging 7 PPG while shooting 38% from deep and 95% from the free-throw line.
 
Kenney has also spent five years in Maroon after arriving in McMaster in 2012 from Ganonoque. She is a two-time OUA Conference All-Star and is averaging 10.6 PPG and 5.1 RPG this season.
 
Danielle Boiago is McMaster's all-time leading scorer with 1651 points, which places her third all-time in the OUA. She is also McMaster's all-time leader in steals, second in assists, and third in rebounding.
 
Although they've played their final conference home game the Marauders' season continues on Wednesday, February 15^th as they travel to Windsor to take on the Lancers.
 
The game can be streamed online at OUA.tv at 6-pm
 
By Jonah Tuck