Huskies fall short

WINDSOR, Ont. - Jessica Clemencon led the Lancers with 18 points Sunday as top-ranked Windsor defeated the No. 2 Saskatchewan Huskies 63-49 to win the Canadian university women's basketball championship.

With the victory, the Lancers became the first host team to capture the Bronze Bay Trophy in the championship's 40-year history.

"I'm so glad we won this first national title in front of our fans," Windsor coach Chantal Vallee said. "Their support is phenomenal. We'll cherish this win in our own building forever."

Clemencon, the CIS player of the year, was named the game's MVP. The native of St. Rambert, France, won CIS rookie of the year honours last season.

Windsor native Bojana Kovacevic was a catalyst for the Lancers, scoring 14 points and knocking down half of her three-point shots.

"I had the confidence in myself, in my ability, to make the big shots right from the start of the game today," said Kovacevic. "We play as a team and everyone knows their role and we all were able to get the job done today."

Second-year guard Miah Langlois was named tournament MVP for the Lancers.

"We have a lot of great players and everyone contributes, maybe this was my time," she said. "If we were to play next week, it would be someone else winning that award."

Langlois was thrilled that Vallee kept a promise she made during recruiting.

"She told me that the program was going to win a national championship before too long," Langlois said. "I just didn't think we were going to be able to get it done so quickly."

The three-time OUA champs from Windsor went on a 23-9 run to overcome a 16-11 deficit early in the second quarter and led 34-25 at the half.

It was Windsor's roster depth that propelled the Lancers to the national title. In addition to Clemencon, Kovacevic and Langlois, Korissa Williams reached double figures in points, with 10.
The Lancers kept Saskatchewan on their heels defensively for much of the game.

Jill Humbert lead the Huskies with 15 points, while Katie Miyazaki and Kim Tulloch chipped in with 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Windsor shot just under 43 per cent in the paint, compared to Saskatchewan's 30 per cent. The Lancers knocked down 40 per cent of their three-point attempts. The Huskies managed just over 11 per cent of their shots from beyond the arc.

Langlois and Kovacevic were both named to the tournament all-star team, along with Miyazaki, Saskatchewan teammate Jana Spindler and Cape Breton's Kari Everett. Ashley Stephen of St.

Francis Xavier won the R.H. Pugh Fair Play Award.

Earlier Sunday, Cape Breton parlayed a 12-2 run early in the fourth quarter to defeat the St. Francis Xavier 67-53 in the bronze-medal game.