After observing the OUA playoffs from the sidelines for the past week, the OUA West's top-seeded Marauders made their entry into the postseason count on Saturday.

McMaster navigated a tough challenge from the Brock Badgers for more than three quarters, before pulling away late en route to a 81-70 win to advance to the OUA semifinals for the fourth consecutive season.

The Marauders will host a semifinal at Burridge Gym on Wednesday, February 27 at 6:00 p.m. They face the winner of the quarterfinal between the Carleton Ravens and Ryerson Rams still to be played Saturday.

Second-year guard Sarah Gates enjoyed her most prolific playoff appearance to date, scoring 28 points while shooting nine of 16 from the field and five of 10 from three-point range. She made good on five of six trips to the free throw line and added eight rebounds.

Enjoying a typically deep offensive performance, the Marauders had five players hit double digits in points, as Hilary Hanaka (12), Olivia Wilson (11), Erin Burns (11) and Julia Hanaka (10) joined Gates in that category.

Forward Christina Buttenham ended the afternoon just a bucket short of a double double with 11 rebounds and eight points.

Lacking star forward Linnaea Harper, the Marauders expanded the cast of characters on court Saturday, and found increased roles for the likes of Julia Hanaka and Clare Sharkey.

With the visitors starting quickly, the top-seeded hosts trailed until the later stages of the first quarter, when Julia Hanaka nailed consecutive efforts from beyond the arc to push McMaster ahead 18-13 with 3:15 to play.

Brock stayed within a possession, although a late pair of free throws from Gates pulled McMaster into a 22-19 lead through 10 minutes.

The trend continued through the second quarter, where the Marauders defence stepped up but their offence cooled simultaneously.

McMaster's biggest lead of the half was just six points, which the hosts achieved when Erin Burns knocked down a deep bucket for 28-22 with 5:15 to play. But the Badgers refused to let the Marauders embark on an extended run, and a Kristin Gallant layup brought the visitors within a point at 33-32.

Recovering well in the final moments of the half, the Marauders countered with an Olivia Wilson bucket from close range and a Gates free throw to take a 36-32 advantage into the halftime break.

McMaster's lead grew to as many as seven points in the third quarter, but Brock continued to hang tough, and pulled all the way to within one after consecutive layups from Gallant with a minute to play.

Recovering before the end of the quarter, the Marauders got a steal and fastbreak bucket from Olivia Wilson to give themselves a 53-50 lead through 30 minutes, and set up a meaningful conclusion at Burridge Gym.

Able to match the Marauders shot for shot as the quarter wound on, the Badgers pulled within a point yet again when Melissa Tatti knocked down a three with 6:20 to play.

The crucial moment came three minutes later, when McMaster turned a five-point lead into 14 with Hilary Hanaka, Burns and Gates hitting triples on consecutive possessions to generate a sudden 78-64 cushion.

With just two minutes to play, the result was largely academic from there, as the Marauders eased to the finish line and a spot in the conference's final four.

NEXT UP: McMaster hosts the winner of the OUA East quarterfinal between the Carleton Ravens and the Ryerson Rams in a semifinal at Burridge Gym on Wednesday, February 27. That game will get underway at 6:00 p.m. and be broadcast live on TSN 1150 radio and OUA.tv.