In an image that looks all too familiar, the McMaster Marauders women's basketball team faced off against the Carleton Ravens in this evening's OUA Quarterfinals.
 
Amy Stinson led the Marauders in points with 24, made up particially of six three pointers. 
 
After falling to Carleton, not only this time last year in the 2023 OUA Quarterfinals but also, earlier in December of 2023, the Marauders were determined to bring a challenge.
 
Matching stride for stride with the top team in the Nation, the Marauders showed up with fanaticism. In the last minute of the first, both teams found their possessions ending in a bounce in-and-out shot, which closed out the first with a 23-all-scratch. Well noticed that the Marauders held a higher field goal shooting percentage with 52.6, as opposed to the Ravens' 33.3 percent.
 
The second was another quick-paced quarter, with defence from both squads falling slightly short, leading to easier buckets. The quarter saw a 13-5 run for the Ravens, where they took an 8-point lead. The Marauders started drilling some of their own, and with a long Amy Stinson's long three, Carleton took a timeout. With an 8-point deficit late in the second, Denkers found the ball from the top of the Ravens' key and lobbed it to Urosevic who made a pump fake, side step move to the left only to drain the three-breaking the Ravens' momentum, and forcing a Carleton time out.
 
Moments later, Bourget ran for a loose free ball which turned into a jump ball. Following this, Bourget was called on a foul, and the crowd saw a fire light in her. The crowd and opponents can expect more heat from her in the next half.
 
Opening up the third, it was all McMaster with the first seven points, 6 of them products of Amy Stinson threes. The Marauders came into the contest well studied knowing where the Ravens wouldn't be able to match.  When those weaknesses came exposed in the game, the Marauders, coached by legend Teressa Burns, capitalized. Chopping the Raven's lead like weeds, with back-to-back-to-back three-pointers, the Hamilton team dropped a three per minute for the first seven minutes of the quarter. The Ravens made the Marauders stumble, and found a lane to catch up in, walking into the fourth with a game open for either to take.
 
The fourth was a tightly contested 10 minutes of basketball. Raven's star guard Kali Pocrnic hit 40 points,  guiding her team to develop a buffer lead. Carleton stocked an 11-point lead by the clock ticking 3 minutes to go, which only grew in the final moments. Unfortunately for the Marauders, the game slipped away 94-77, and their season came to a close.
 
While the outcome was not desired, putting up 74 points in a gym that hasn't seen a loss in two seasons is beyond respectable. The ladies played their hearts out in a game that will be remembered.
 
Marauders, we will see you next season!