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The Gee-Gees will look to bounce back against York this Friday at Montpetit Hall Gym. Photo: Parker Townes/Fulcrum
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Gee-Gees lose their second game  of the season after overtime loss to Algoma

The University of Ottawa women’s basketball team started their weekend on the road, taking on the Guelph Gryphons on Friday before heading north to take on the Algoma Thunderbirds on Sunday Guelph Gryphons Athletic Centre, 

It was the home team that opened up the scoring with a three-pointer from fifth-year forward Ashley Wheeler.  

Angela Ribarich opened the scoring for the Gee-Gees but the Gryphons went on to score six in a row before the Gees found the basket again. 

From there, the teams traded baskets. 

At the end of the first 10 minutes, the teams were tied at 14-14. 

With Ottawa’s first possession in the second, Brigitte Lefebvre-Okankwu made a jumper to put the Gee-Geesahead. 

Again, the teams went back and forth. 

With four minutes left, a nice jumper by Ann Carr started a bit of a run for the U of O. 

At the end of the half, the Gee-Gees were up 31-26. 

To begin the third quarter, Alana Renon put up a three-pointer. 

No baskets were made until Tyra Blizzard added another three points to the score two minutes later. 

By the end of the third quarter, the Gee-Gees had established a 12 point lead at 56-44. 

The final ten minutes of play brought a shift in momentum. Guelph was able to close the gap and send the game into overtime. 

The next five minutes were back and forth right until the end. 

Blizzard, Natsuki Szczokin, Kathrine Follis, and Lefebvre-Okankwu all contributed to scoring for the Gee-Gees in overtime. Blizzard led the Gee-Gees in scoring with 17 points, followed by Follis with 14, and Szczokin with 11. 

Taking the game 77-74 over Guelph, the Gee-Gees headed to Algoma to close out the weekend.

https://twitter.com/GeeGeesWBB/status/1195541311652319234

In Thunderbirds territory, the Gee-Gees were first to point a point on the board. Like the Guelph game, the U of O and Algoma went back and forth. This time, the Gee-Gees finished the first quarter up 18-14. 

By the end of the second quarter, the Gee-Gees pulled away, taking the half 38-29. 

In the third, it was the Thunderbirds who looked like the better team.

Going on a run, Algoma closed the gap and pulled ahead of the Gee-Gees. 

Blizzard made a layup at the end of the quarter, but Algoma led 44-42. 

With 10 minutes left in the game, both teams fought hard to score. 

The Gee-Gees were up 54-50 with two minutes left. 

A three-pointer by the Thunderbird put pressure on the U of O to score. 

A layup by Renon made the score 58-55. 

With 15 seconds left on the clock, Algoma put up another three-pointer, this one sent the game into overtime. In their second overtime situation of the weekend, the Gee-Gees looked to repeat the first and come home with two wins. 

Unfortunately for the Garnet and Grey, Algoma snuck ahead with a couple of free-throws in the last minute of play.

Lefebvre-Okankwu logged 16 points, while Carr contributed 11 and Follis 9. Losing the game 66-65, the Gee-Gees went 1-1 in the weekend. 

The Gees are now 4-2 and sit in third place in the OUA East.

The Gee-Gees will be back home on Friday and Saturday to take on York and Lakehead at Montpetit Hall Gym. Both games kick-off at 6 p.m. 

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