HAMILTON, Ont. – The McMaster Marauders (13-9) put up a strong fight but fell short, 80-72, against the TMU Bold (17-5) at Burridge Gymnasium on Saturday.

The Marauders got off to a strong start, with Delaney Bourget (Sudbury, Ont.) driving the ball to the net early on. McMaster was down after TMU came swinging out of the gates, but the Birds turned the tide before the second quarter.

McMaster held a 20-16 advantage at the start of the second, and Amy Stinson (Hamilton, Ont.) extended the lead with a 3-point jump shot. The Bold fought back hard, keeping the Marauders on their toes for the duration of the quarter. Emily Frankovic (Thornhill, Ont.) made a layup assisted by Cassie Joli-Coeur (Johnstown, Ont.) to cap off the second quarter, leaving McMaster with a 39-34 lead at halftime.

TMU found their momentum in the third quarter, allowing them to pull ahead. Two 3-pointers from McMaster's Sophia Urosevic (Kitchener, Ont.) helped keep the score close, but it wasn't enough as they trailed heading into the fourth.

Stinson and Urosevic hit 3-point jump shots to open the fourth quarter, closing the gap to 59-57. The remainder of the game was a close, back-and-forth contest until the final moments. TMU pulled away with a late score to secure the 80-72 victory.
 
On Sunday Monday afternoon, the McMaster Marauders women's basketball team put on a commanding performance at Burridge Gymnasium, defeating the Toronto Varsity Blues 79-49.

The Marauders came out firing, taking a 27-20 lead after the first quarter. Bourget opened the scoring with a three-pointer, setting the tone for a strong offensive showing. Stinson followed with another triple, and Frankovic chipped in with a layup as McMaster controlled the pace early.
Toronto fought back in the second quarter, keeping the Blues within striking distance. However, McMaster's defensive intensity ramped up, holding Toronto to just nine points in the frame and taking a 37-29 lead into halftime.

The Marauders broke the game open in the third quarter, outscoring Toronto 27-18. Joli-Cour and Urosevic fueled the offense, with Urosevic draining a pair of threes to extend the lead. The fourth quarter saw McMaster's defense lock down completely, limiting Toronto to just two points.
Frankovic led McMaster with 16 points, while Urosevic added 13 off the bench. Stinson and Joli-Cour each finished with 10. The win moves McMaster to 13-9 on the season and secures a round-one playoff home game.

Round on playoffs begins on Wednesday, February 19 at 6:00 p.m. The Birds will face the Western Mustangs (13-9). The last time these two faced off, the Marauders took the victory by a score of 94-76.