Varsity Blues Women's Basketball

Archives 2008-09

"Cheer Blue-Think PINK" Evening

BLUES ALL-STARS LEAD EAST TO WIN

As usual in all-star games it took a while for the teams to get a feel for their new team mates and find their shooting touch after two months away from real competition. After a low scoring first quarter the East team held a 16-13 lead but both teams opened up, improved their finish and the West took a 41-35 lead into half time. The East team made another run and pulled even at 58 after the third frame. Then in the final quarter, the East continued their run and went on to a 77-64 victory.

The East team was led by the two Varsity Blues All-Stars as Alaine Hutton was named Player of the Game with 20 points and 3 rebounds while Nicki Schutz had 21 points, 11 rebounds and 4 steals. Michele Belanger took over the East coaching reins in the middle of third quarter as Ottawa coach Andy Sparks had to leave to coach his club team.



BEST OF OUA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SHOWCASED

An exciting 2008-09 season of Ontario University Athletics (OUA) women's basketball will have a star-studded conclusion on Saturday, May 9 in the inaugural OUA All-Star Game to take place at RIM Park in Waterloo as part of the 2009 Ontario Basketball Association (OBA) Ontario Cup.

Twenty players who were named OUA all-stars or members of the all-rookie teams this past season will showcase their skills in a battle of East versus West. The East is led by its player of the year Alaine Hutton (Hamilton, Ont.) of the Toronto Varsity Blues, top rookie Abby Edmison (Carleton Place, Ont.) of the Royal Military College Paladins and defensive player of the year Tanya Perry (Barrie, Ont.) of the Carleton Ravens. Hutton will be joined by U of T teammate Nicki Schutz (Toronto, Ont.) as together they formed the most potent scoring duo in OUA this past regular season with a combined 754 points, or 34.3 points per game. The team is led by East Division coach of the year Andy Sparks of the OUA finalist Ottawa Gee-Gees.

The West also boasts a strong squad, including Dranadia Roc (Montreal, Que.) and Alisa Wulff (Pickering, Ont.), both members of the OUA champion Windsor Lancers. They will have a familiar bench boss in Chantal Vallée , who was named West Division coach of the year after leading the Lancers to the best regular season record (21-1) in OUA. Vallee also led Windsor to its! first appearance at the CIS national tournament. They will be joined by Western Mustangs guard Amanda Anderson (Dover Centre, Ont.) who led all West Division players averaging 16.1 points per game during the regular season.

The all-star showcase also marks a final opportunity for a trio of players to wear the uniforms of their respective teams. Sharlene Harding (Brampton, Ont.) of the Paladins, Laura MacCallum (Paris, Ont.) of the York Lions and Kathryn Verboom (Thunder Bay, Ont.) of the Lakehead Thunderwolves have completed their final year of CIS eligibility, and have one final opportunity to play alongside their peers. All three individuals have made their mark on their respective programs with Harding, a former Queen's Gael,! leading the Paladins in points and rebounds in 2008-09, MacCallum finishing her career as York's all-time leading scorer and Verboom placing ninth on the all-time Lakehead points list.

Mascots from the competing OUA schools will also be in attendance, and will showcase their basketball skills during halftime.

Tip off is set for 7 p.m. on May 9 at RIM Park in Waterloo. Admission is free of charge.



SCHUTZ, KINNEAR SIGN WITH TORONTO STEALTH


University of Toronto Varsity Blues Women's Basketball standouts Nicki Schutz and Tara Kinnear have signed with the Toronto Stealth, Canada's entry in the summer Women's Blue Chip Basketball League (WBCBL).

A 2008-09 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East first team All-Star, Schutz (Toronto) transferred to U of T after two years at the University of Winnipeg and made an immediate impact, finishing eighth in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) scoring with 16.5 points per game. She was also the second leading rebounder in the country with 11.7 boards per game.

Kinnear also transferred to U of T to complete her Master's Degree in Nutritional Science for the 2008-09 season after four years at St. Francis Xavier. The Kemptville, Ont. native was third on the Blues in scoring, averaging 11.1 points per game, and led the CIS in offensive rebounds this season. She also finished fourth in the OUA with 8.62 boards per game.

In addition to Schutz and Kinnear, Varsity Blues alumnus Laila Bellony (Toronto) has also signed with the Stealth. Bellony played three seasons for the Blues (2005-08) after a year at Texas Christian Junior College and a year at Dillard University in New Orleans. She played 64 games with U of T, and totaled 500 points and 335 boards.

The WBCBL provides highly competitive basketball for women age 20 and older. The competition level ranges from former college players to former National Women's Basketball League (NWBL) and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) players and current international players.

In addition, the WBCBL has built a networking relationship with professional international basketball scouts and agents to broaden the possibility of higher-level professional jobs being offered.

The WBCBL runs from May through July.

HUTTON HEADLINES OUA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL EAST DIVISION HONOREES AND IS NAMED SECOND TEAM ALL-CANADIAN

Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is pleased to announce the 2008-09 women's East Division basketball All-Stars and major award winners.

Fourth-year guard Alaine Hutton (Hamilton, Ont.) of the Toronto Varsity Blues is the OUA East Division Player of the Year . She finished the regular season tied for second in OUA scoring with 392 points, an average of 17.8 points per game. The Varsity Blues had the best record in the East Division in 2008-09 at 17-5. Hutton also headlines the OUA East Division First Team All-Stars, presented by Wilson Sports Equipment Canada.

Other members of the East Division First Team All-Stars alongside Hutton is Varsity Blues teammate Nicki Schutz ( Toronto , Ont.), crosstown rival Laura MacCallum (Paris, Ont.) of the York Lions, Brittany Moore (Hannon, Ont.) of the Queen's Gaels and Ines Jelic (London, Ont.) of the Ravens. MacCallum , a fifth-year guard, led OUA in scoring with 398 points, an average of 18.1 per game. Schutz was among the league leaders in with 362 points and 258 rebounds. Moore finished tied for second in OUA with Hutton with 392 points, while Jelic was fifth in the division in field-goal percentage at 46.9 percent.

2008-09 OUA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL EAST DIVISION MAJOR AWARD WINNERS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Alaine Hutton (Toronto)

FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS

Alaine Hutton ( Toronto ) 

Laura MacCallum ( York )

Nicki Schutz ( Toronto )

Brittany Moore (Queen's)

Ines Jelic (Carleton)

ALL-CANADIAN TEAMS

2008-09

First Team

Schedule and Results 2008-2009

Preseason Exhibition Games

Fri.Oct.10
UofCalgary Tourn
vs Windsor 5:00pm 49-83 L 0-1
Sat.Oct.11
UofCalgary Tourn
vs Calgary 7:00pm 77-82 L 0-2
Sun.Oct.12
UofCalgary Tourn
vs Memorial 11:00am 121-114(3OT) W 1-2

Wed.Oct.15
UofT vs Uof Sask 6:00pm 59-50 W 2-2

Fri.Oct.17
@ Daemon College Amherst NY 7:00pm 82-92(2OT)  L 2-3

Fri.Oct.24
UofT vs Concordia 6:00pm 87-66 W 3-3

Sun. Oct. 26
UofT vs Western 2:00pm 73-75 L 3-4

LEAGUE GAMES
Fri.Oct.31 @ Ryerson 6:00pm 65-72 L 0-1
Sat.Nov.1 vs Ryerson 6:00pm 74-40 W 1-1
Fri.Nov.7 vs McMaster 6:00pm 68-65 W 2-1
Sat.Nov.8 vs Lakehead 6:00pm 90-76 W 3-1
Fri.Nov.14 @ Windsor 6:00pm 55-87 L 3-2
Sat.Nov.15 TV @ Western 1:00pm 55-72 L 3-3
Fri.Nov.21 @ Laurier 6:00pm 63-71 L 3-4
Sat.Nov.22 @ Waterloo 6:00pm 69-68 W 4-4
Fri.Nov.28 vs Brock 6:00pm 65-84 L 4-5
Sat.Nov.29 vs Guelph 6:00pm 83-73 W 5-5

Exhibition Games
Mon.Dec.29 UofWindsor Inv Tourn
vs Laval 3:00pm 60-58 W 4-4
Tue.Dec.30 UofWindsor Inv Tourn
vs Manitoba 5:00pm 70-65 W 5-4
Wed.Dec.31 UofWindsor Inv Tourn
vs Windsor 11:00am 62-70 L 5-5

LEAGUE GAMES
Fri.Jan9 @ Carleton 6:00pm 64-57 W 6-5
Sat.Jan.10 @ Ottawa 6:00pm 61-50 W 7-5
Fri. Jan.16 vs Queens 6:00pm 75-71 W 8-5
Sat.Jan.17 vs RMC 6:00pm 82-51 W 9-5
Fri.Jan.23 vs Laurentian 6:00pm 69-60 W 10-5
Sat.Jan.24 vs York 6:oopm 74-67 W 11-5
Fri.Jan.30 @RMC 6:oopm 78-51 W 12-5
Sat.Jan.31 @ Queens 6:00pm 58-51 W 13-5
Fri.Feb.6 vs Ottawa 6:00pm 67-61 W 14-5
Sat.Feb.7 vs Carleton 6:00pm 74-71 W 15-5
Fri.Feb.13 TV @ York 6:00pm 60-51OT W 16-5
Sat.Feb.14 @ Laurentian 6:00pm 66-63 W 17-5

*PLAYOFFS
Wed. Feb.18 East Quarter Final BYE
Sat.Feb.21, East Semi Final Ryerson@UofT,6:00pm
Toronto 78 Ryerson 69 (18-5)
Wed.Feb.25, East Championship Ottawa@UofT,6:00pm
Toronto 55 Ottawa 68 (18-6)

CIS season record 23-10

Blues Beaten at Home to End the Season (Feb.25)

  The Blues struggled through every game down the stretch but pulled out victories with heroic come from behind efforts and consistent foul shooting to finish first and get to host the East Championship game. Then after all this hard work they came out flat and played their worst game of the season in front of the home crowd.

  Ottawa took control early as the Blues struggled on offense shooting poorly from the floor and from the foul line (23% and 44% in the first half). The Gee-Gees took a 17-9 lead after the first period and hung on to a 28-21 lead at the break after the Blues had made a 9-0 run to get back in the game. In the third, the Blues continued to close the gap getting to within 4 at 37-33 with 3 minutes left in the period but that was as close as they would get. Ottawa used the Blues own formula for most of their previous wins by shooting poorly from the floor but getting to the line and draining the freebies. In the second half Ottawa shot 31% from the floor compared to the Blues improved 41% but outscored the Blues 20 for 23 compared to 7 for 8 at the free throw line to pull away for the win and the trip to Regina for the Nationals. The final score was 68-55 as the Blues were forced to foul down the stretch and the Gee-Gees took advantage of their opportunities.

First Team Allstar, Nicki Shutz led the Blues with 11 points and 13 boards for her usual D-D (she averaged a double-double for the season) while senior Tara Kinnear finished her career with 10 points and 5 rebounds. Team captain Jess Hiew finished her career as well with 9 points, 7 boards and 3 assists. Sherri Pierce had 9 points, 5 boards, 4 assists and 2 steals while Erin McNeely had 9 points coming off the bench.

  The Varsity Blues would like to congratulate Ottawa and wish them Good Luck at the Nationals and in the OUA Final at Windsor.

The Blues Move on to the OUA East Final (Feb.21)

 After beating Laurentian in Sudbury Wednesday, the Ryerson Rams came into the Benson Gym looking to build on their big win and take it to the first place Blues with their trademark aggressive pressure defense and accurate perimeter shooting. The well rested Blues were up to the challenge. Toronto pushed the ball for some easy transition baskets, played tough D, and pounded the ball inside to Tara Kinnear for 9 first quarter points as the Blues took a 20-12 lead. The second quarter was more of the same as the Blues went up 41-24 with a 18-13 edge on the boards and 44% to 35% shooting advantage.

 It looked like it was all over for the Rams but after the break Ryerson picked up the defence creating several Blues turnovers and turned these into 5 threes and several 'and ones' to close the gap on a rattled Blues squad. Toronto was up just 59-53 with 10 minutes to play and Tara and Lisa Goldring were having their own battle with 22 points apiece as the only double digit scorers on either team. In the fourth period Ryerson finally took the lead at 61-60 with 6:30 left on the clock. With 5:40 left the Rams were up 64-60 and the Blues looked like they were finished. Then Nicki Shutz took over with 12 4'th quarter points (8 from the line) and with 2:31 left the Blues went ahead again 68-66. The big basket came from Jess Hiew who hit a three at 1:53 and Toronto went up 71-66. Ryerson fought back but the Blues held on for another close come-from-behind win 78-69.

 The Blues dominated the boards 54-30, outscored the Rams 24-10 at the foul line and out-shot the Rams 43% to 36% from the floor. It was the Blues dominating inside game that made the difference as Player of the Game Tara Kinnear had 22 points and 17 rebounds while post partner Nicki Schutz had 20 points and 15 boards. Alaine Hutton had 12 points, 6 assists and 4 steals and Jess Hiew had 10 points, 3 assists and 2 steals while adding several great hustle plays defensively.

League Schedule Ends With Two More Wins (Feb.13-14)

  On Friday the Blues travelled cross-town to York and took an early 15-2 lead that made it look like Toronto was finally going to have an easy game after a long run of close hard fought wins. The Lions needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive so they were not going to give this game away without a fight. York started a run that got them to 15-10 at the first break and then continued this run to actually take a 24-22 lead at the half. It was an ugly first half for both teams as the Blues shot 29% and the Lions were even worse at just 25%. In the third quarter, York continued to pull away taking a 10 point lead with 4 minutes left in the frame but Toronto rallied to within 1 at 45-46 with 2 minutes till the next break. At the end of three, York had extended it again to 42-35 as the Blues continued to struggle on offense. The fourth quarter led to another wild finish as the Blues closed to take a 1 point lead with 2 minutes left in regulation. York went back up by 1 and Alaine went to the foul line with just seconds left with two shots for the win- she hit the first but the country's top foul shooter rolled out the second and the game went to OT with the teams locked at a low scoring 48 each.

  In over-time the Blues quickly took control and, much like last year's East Final, Toronto finally found the range and out-scored the Lions 12-3 holding York to just 9 points in the last 15 minutes of play. The 60-51 victory knocked York out of the playoffs and ran the Blues win streak to 12.

  Toronto shot just 27% for the game and even their usual great foul shooting was MIA as the Blues shot 59% missing 13 opportunities. York out-rebounded the Blues 51-49 as the two teams combined to miss over 100 shots. The only positive for the Blues was their ball control as they had just 10 turnovers compared to York's 25.

Alaine Hutton led the Blues with 17 points and 5 rebounds, Nicki Shutz had a strong finish to end up with 16 points, 12 boards and 4 steals but the Player of the Game was Sherri Pierce who had 13 points, 9 boards, 3 assists and 4 steals while holding York's OUA leading scorer Laura MacCallum to just 11points. Jess Hiew added 8 points and 8 rebounds and Megan Stoncius had 6 boards to contribute to the win.

  On Saturday the Blues had another big start taking a 16-2 lead after one period as the Voyageurs shot 0 for 15. In the second Laurentian finally found the range but Toronto held on for a 34-21 lead as the Blues shot 40% and the Voyageurs a dismal 22%. In the third, Toronto faded a little and Laurentian closed to within 6 as Toronto held on to a now tight 47-41 lead. In the final frame Laurentian got to within 3 but couldn't close it out as the Blues ran their streak to 13 with a 66-63 win to finish off the regular season league schedule. Toronto did get out-rebounded and had 17 turnovers but managed to shoot 43% from the floor and 75% from the line.

  The Blues Player of the Game was Nicki Schutz with 15 points, 8 rebounds, 6 steals and 1 assist while Sherri Pierce had 15 points, 6 boards, 4 assists and 2 steals. Alaine Hutton followed up with a solid 14 points while Erin McNeely chipped in with 8.

Blues 11 Game Win Streak Clinches First Place (Feb.6-7)

  On Friday the Blues hosted Ottawa the first of the two challengers for first place. Toronto took an early 8-3 lead but after a time-out the Gee-Gees took control as the Blues turned the ball over 10 times to finish the period tied at 14 each. The second ended still close after Ottawa took a 24-16 lead and the Blues had to rally back to be just down 2 at the break as the Gee-Gees led 29-27. The Blues had a better third quarter as they out-scored Ottawa 21-15 to take control of the game as Alaine and Nicki came to life and split 12 points. In the final 10 minutes Ottawa refused to give in and kept closing to within 2 but big put-backs by Nicki and foul shooting by Nicki, Sherri and Alaine kept the Blues ahead for a 67-61 win at the final buzzer.

Player of the Game was Sherri Pierce who had 12 points, 5 boards, 2 assists and some great defensive plays to lead the Blues. Nicki Schutz had another double-double with a game leading 15 points and 11 rebounds while Alaine Hutton had 12 points and 4 steals. Jess Hiew chipped in with 10 points and Tara Kinnear had 11 rebounds in a very balanced team effort.

  On Saturday the Carleton Ravens visited the Benson gym and gave the Blues another down-to-the-last-shot battle. The Ravens took a 17-12 lead after 10 minutes on 8 for 17 shooting but the Blues responded in the second with an even better 8 for 14 shooting to take a 32-28 lead at the half. The third period was all Carleton. Toronto fell behind as the Ravens shot 69% and outscored the Blues 26-13 to take a 54-45 lead into the final 10 minutes. Toronto made another run and with 2 minutes left the score was 69-67 for Carleton and at 1:30 the Blues had tied it up. With 11 for 16 team foul shooting in the final quarter and Tara making several tough put backs on missed perimeter shots in the final minutes, the Blues finally pulled ahead to pull off a 74-71 win that clinched a second consecutive first place finish for the Varsity Blues.

  On Senior Night 5'th year player Tara Kinnear, who scored 9 of the last 16 Toronto points, was the Blues Player of the Game as she had a double-double of 10 boards and 13 points. The high scorer of the game was Alaine Hutton with 22 points to go with 3 assists and 2 steals. Nicki Schutz had a big 20 point, 9 rebound, 4 steal effort. Erin McNeely had 2 for 2 from the 3 point line and added 8 points off the bench.

After 22 league games Alaine is still #1 in the CIS shooting 92.7% from the free throw line threatening but not eclipsing Vanessa Nobrega 's Blues record 93.9%. She is also tied for second in OUA scoring just 6 points out of first, sixth in steals with 2.5 spg and 12'th in assists with 2.5 apg.   Nicki is the CIS #2 rebounder with a 11.7 rpg average which is ahead of Pat Melville 's 10.0 rpg Blues record. She is also fourth in OUA scoring with 16.5 ppg and tenth in blocks with .82 bpg.   Tara is the leading Offensive rebounder in the country, tenth leading rebounder in the CIS. In the OUA she is the fourth leading rebounder with 8.6 rpg and she is the seventh leading shooter with 49% from the floor.

Blues Selected as OUA TEAM OF THE MONTH (January)

  The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's basketball team has put together an incredible eight-game win streak in the month of January, pushing their regular season record to 13-5 and moving them into sole possession of first place in the OUA East Division. With a solid mix of veteran leadership and young talent, the Blues are third in OUA scoring offence, tallying an average of 69.3 points per game. They are second in team free-throw percentage (73.5), and they are fourth in team rebounding. Fourth-year veteran guard Alaine Hutton (Hamilton, Ont.) and first-year Varsity Blues forwards Nicki Schutz (Toronto, Ont.) and Tara Kinnear (Kemptville, Ont.) have led the way for the Blues who have not lost a game, 8-0, since returning from the winter break. Hutton is tied for second in the OUA scoring race (18.2 PPG), while Schutz is fourth with 16.7 points per game. Schutz also tops the OUA charts in rebounding, averaging 11.9 boards per game. Kinnear, for her part, sits fourth in the conference with 8.9 RPG.

Blues Win Big at RMC and Edge Queens (Jan.30-31)

  On Friday the Blues travelled to Kingston to take on the Royal Military College Paladins. With the first place team playing the winless Paladins it was a one sided affair as the Blues defensive pressure turned the ball over 30 times and the 24 for 27 from the line helped extended the win streak to eight league games. The score at the half was 37-23 and the final was 78-51 as 11 Blues players contributed double digit minutes. Three Toronto players evenly split 45 points to lead the way. Alaine Hutton also had 2 assists and 2 steals while Tara Kinnear had 3 rebounds and 2 steals and Nicki Schutz had 5 rebounds and 4 steals to go with her 15 points. Point guard Sherri Pierce led the Blues with 7 boards and she had 6 points and 4 steals as well for a balanced effort.

 With Carleton losing at home to York this evening the Blues have finally taken sole possession of first in the OUA East.

On Saturday Toronto moved across town to Queens for a tough matchup against the 4'th place (three way tie) Gaels who are fighting to host a home playoff game. The Blues jumped to an early 16-6 lead with tight full-court defense, stingy ball control and a dominating inside game. Queens adjusted to the pressure D then responded to each Blues basket to keep the score at 20-10 after 10. In the second period Toronto lost focus and scored just 8 points as the Gaels crept to 28-22 with an 8-2 run in the final 2 minutes of the half.

 With the starters back in action Toronto took control again pulling ahead with a 44-31 lead after 3. Queens was not finished as they closed to within 4 in the last two minutes but the Blues hit clutch foul shots and a big scoop shot by Jess Hiew to hang on for a 58-51 win to hold onto first place. This was the lowest scoring win for the Blues this year as the bench provided just 1 basket for the game on 1 for 12 shooting. The Blues out-rebounded Queens 44-35 and out-scored the Gaels 20-14 at the foul line to help overcome their second half 27% shooting.

 The Varsity Blues were led by Tara Kinnear who dominated inside with 25 points and 9 rebounds while Nicki Schutz had a double-double 16 rebounds with 12 points and Alaine Hutton contributed 10 points and 4 assists.

Blues Keep Streak Alive (Jan.23-24)

On Friday the Blues hosted Laurentian in the most physical battle of the season. There were 46 fouls called on the two teams but the Blues 20 for 25 shooting at the line was the difference in the game as the Blues extended their streak to 6 wins with a hard fought 69-60 victory. Toronto took a 19-16 lead at the quarter but the Voyageurs pulled ahead at 24-21 before the Blues responded to go ahead again at 25-24 with 4 minutes left in the half. From there Toronto held the lead but could never pull away as Laurentian closed to within two at the half at 34-32 . The third quarter continued with Toronto scoring and Laurentian answering as the teams moved into the final period with Toronto up 50-46. With 3 minutes left Toronto was up 60-56 so the Varsity Blues needed deadly foul shooting down the stretch to finally pull away for the win.

Alaine Hutton was the Player of the Game with 28 points, 3 assists, 3 steals and numerous defensive plays and a stellar 12 for 12 from the free throw line. Nicki Schutz was not far behind with an outstanding 24 point 14 rebound game for another double double.

On Saturday Toronto hosted York in another wild game as the Blues took a close first half lead (31-27), extended it to 56-43 at three quarters and then pulled away to a 62-43 lead with just over 8 minutes to play. However, the Lions were not near being ready to hand over the game. They roared back to close within 5 with 32 seconds left to keep the result in doubt until the last few seconds. The Blues extended their league win streak to 7 games and their home record to 8-1 with the final 74-67 victory.

 The Blues Player of the Game was Nicki Schutz as she had another D-D with 17 boards to go with her 23 points and followed this up with 2 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocked shots. Alaine Hutton followed up Friday's strong game with 18 points and 4 steals while Tara Kinnear was a force inside with 16 points and 7 rebounds. Toronto dominated the boards 52-34 and out-scored the Lions by 10 at the foul line to make the difference in the game.

 Toronto moved into first but Ottawa and Carleton are tied with the Blues in losses (5) so it is really a three way log jam at the top going into the last three weekends. It will probably be decided on Feb. 6-7 as these two rivals will come to TO for the Blues final home games of the season.

Congratulations to Nicki Schutz who was selected as the OUA Athlete of the Week after her 47 point 31 rebound weekend.

Blues Win Streak Extends to Five (Jan.16-17)

  On Friday the Blues had a solid start against Queens jumping to a 19-11 first quarter lead holding the Gaels to just 3 baskets and forcing 9 turnovers. In the second quarter Queens came to life as the Blues rested 3 starters who were in foul trouble. The Gaels shot 8 for 11 from the floor and 5 for 5 from the line to go into the break down just 39-33. The Blues appeared to be still in control of the game as the starters returned to begin the third period. But the game wasn't over and Queens came out and took advantage of a complete shooting collapse as Toronto went 4 for 21 and the Golden Gaels moved ahead for a 57 -52 lead going into the final 10 minutes. With 6 minutes on the clock the Blues had clawed back to tie it up at 64 and then the battle began. It was the Blues ahead by 68-66 with 4 minutes, then 73-71 with 1 minute left as the two teams went at each other. Toronto finally closed it out for the hard fought win at 75-71.

  Toronto's Player of the Game was Alaine Hutton who scored 20 points with 4 assists and 5 steals as she celebrated her birthday. Another strong effort by Nicki Schutz with 23 points and Tara Kinnear with 10 boards contributed to the win. Jess Hiew had a big 9 point, 5 rebound and 3 assist night and Erin McNeely chipped in 10 points.

On Saturday the Blues hosted the winless but much improved RMC Paladins squad. Toronto was actually behind early as the Paladins led 9-8 after 4 minutes but then Sherri Pierce took over the game. With 9 points, 2 steals and an assist she sparked the listless Blues to a 15-4 run that let the Blues take a 23-12 lead at the first break. With lots of substitutions and pressure D, Toronto continued to force turnovers and hold the Paladins to 28% shooting in the second, leading to a 41-17 lead at the half. RMC was not ready to quit and bounced back in the third to outscore Toronto 26-23 but the Blues tightened up the defence in the final frame to pull away 82-51 for the fifth straight win to keep tied with Carleton for first.

Sherri was the Player of the Game as she finished with a game high 19 points and 3 steals in just 22 minutes of action. Alaine Hutton followed with 18 points and 6 steals while Nicki Schutz struggled from the floor but had 10 for 11 from the line for 16 points and 8 boards. Tara Kinnear also hit double digits with a similar 16 and 8 and rookie Tania Meunier had 6 points and 4 steals to contribute to the win.

Blues Start New Year With Two Wins In the Nation's Capital

(Jan.9-10)

  On Friday Toronto met the first place Carleton Ravens on their home court in a game that was a must-win for the Blues if first place was to remain an attainable goal. Nicki Shutz was on fire in the first quarter with 14 points on 5 for 7 shooting and 4 for 4 at the line as the Blues jumped to a 22-6 lead. But, other than Nicki , the good start was not indicative of the way the game would go as the other Blues were just 2 for 10. When Nicki got into foul trouble and had to spend time on the bench in the second quarter the Blues shot just 4 for 15 and allowed the Ravens back into the game at 34-27.  Now with increased confidence Carleton took over the 3rd quarter, held Toronto to 2 baskets and tied the game up at 45. The Blues fought back after dropping 6 points behind with just over 4 minutes to play and took back the lead at 56-55 with 2 minutes on the clock. It was a perfect 10 for 10 from the free throw line in the quarter that carried the Blues to a 64-57 win.

Nicki Shutz led the game with 19 points (7 for 9 free throws) 10 boards and 3 blocks while Alaine Hutton had 19 points (8 for 8 FT). Sherri Pierce was the Player of the Game with 12 points (8 for 8 FT), 3 assists and 2 steals while she played 35 minutes of tough defense holding the Ravens star guard, Tanya Perry, to just 5 points.

  The Blues then went cross-town to Ottawa to take on the second place Gee Gees on Saturday. Another good start jumped the Blues to a 17-7 lead after 10 minutes but a 12-12 second quarter failed to extend the margin. Although the Blues maintained control of the game by dominating the boards 56-32, Toronto struggled to score and kept the second half close. The final score was 61-50 as the Blues moved ahead of Ottawa into a first place tie with Carleton.

  The Blues were led again by Nicki 's double- double as she reversed her Friday numbers with an outstanding 19 rebounds and 10 points. Top scorer was Tara Kinnear with her own double of 14's while Alaine Hutton had 13 points, 5 assists and 2 steals.

Windsor Tournament (Dec.29-31)

The Varsity Blues got back into action after the exam break with three exhibition games at the University of Windsor. Toronto took on Laval, Manitoba and the host Lancers.

 On Monday, in the first post-holidays game, Toronto met Laval who the Blues lost to last year 78-64 in Quebec in their only meeting. On the Windsor neutral court, Toronto showed an improved defensive game and held the talented Rouge et Or to just 58 points. The Blues offense scored just enough points to pull off a 60-58 victory over the undefeated Quebec conference leaders. The game was close throughout as the Blues held a 17-15 lead after 10 minutes and Laval was up 31-27 at the half. Toronto took back the lead at 48-47 after the third period and then with a 57-55 lead with 4 minutes remaining both teams struggled to score at crunch time but the Blues held on for the win.

 The Blues were led in the win by strong inside games by Tara Kinnear and Nicki Schutz . Tara had 19 points and 11 rebounds while Nicki had 16 points and 11 boards in the twin double-double.

 On Tuesday the Blues took on Manitoba in another out-of- conference exhibition game. Last year in their one meeting in Winnipeg the Bisons came from behind, forced over-time and pulled away for a 92-82 win over the Blues. In this year's match Toronto had a good start and led 23-16 after the first period and 34-28 at the break. In the third the Blues pulled away to a 55-40 lead but in the final 10 minutes Manitoba came on strong, closing to within 3 before the Blues hit their foul shots down the stretch to hang on for a 70-65 win.

 For the Blues Nicki Shutz had another outstanding game with 31 points and 9 rebounds. Alaine Hutton followed with 11 points, 7 assists and 6 steals while Tara Kinnear had 8 points and 7 boards.

 In the tournament finale on New Year's Eve, the Blues took on the CIS #3 Windsor Lancers who had beaten Toronto twice already this year in blowout games. The Blues showed their improving game by keeping close to the host throughout. After the first period the teams were knotted at 15 and then the Lancers appeared to be pulling away again with a 39-29 lead at halftime. The Blues dug in and pulled it back to 51-45 going into the final frame. With the championship on the line the Lancers held on to pull out a 70-62 win.

 For the Blues tournament All Star, Nicki Shutz led with 13 points while Sherri Pierce followed with 12. Tara Kinnear and Alaine Hutton evenly split 20 points to give the Blues four players in double digits.

The Blues have now finished their exhibition play for the season at a record of 5-5. In these challenging games, Toronto has come up with several big victories. The Varsity Blues have beaten CIS #3 Saskatchewan and #7 Memorial as well as the wins over Laval and Manitoba this week.

Blues Remain at .500 with Home Split (Fri.Nov.28-Sat.Nov.29)

  When one team is shooting 50% in the first half and follows up with an even more impressive 63% in the second while the other team struggles to score with 21% and 38% the result is inevitable. Even on their previously friendly home court, the Blues couldn't find the rim and everything Brock threw up seemed to drop. After the first quarter the Blues were just down 14-12 but with 8 more shots and 5 fewer turnovers the result should have been a Toronto lead. This was a sign of what was to happen in the second quarter. The Badgers continued their hot shooting  and although Toronto had more shots, more foul shots, with even totals in rebounding and turnovers, Brock jumped ahead 34-20. After the break, Toronto picked up the intensity, forced turnovers and turned the game around with one of their best quarters of the season scoring 32 points on 10-18 shooting and 11-14 from the foul line but Brock still went 9-14 to keep the lead at 57-52. As quickly as the Blues shooting hand had come back, it disappeared again in the final period and Brock pulled away to an 84-65 win.

  Player of the Game for the Blues was Tara Kinnear who had another double-double with 19 points and 15 boards. Alaine Hutton followed with 15 points and 3 assists while Sherri Pierce had 14 points. Nicki Shutz just missed the D-D with 11 boards and 9 points before fouling out.

 On Saturday, the Varsity Blues bounced back against the Guelph Gryphons with a more balanced effort. Toronto won the battle of the boards 48-33, the foul line 18 for 25 compared to the Gryphons 12 for14 and out-shot Guelph 46% to 41%. The game was close through the first quarter as the Blues took and early lead and held on for a 22-21 edge. In the second period Toronto extended the lead to 45-35, but a 15-13 third quarter left the Gryphons in reach. In the final frame the Blues extended their lead to 17 points at 69-52 with 7 minutes left. Guelph then pressured the Blues, forced turnovers and hit 3's to get it down to single digits before a put-back by Tara put the Blues up 11 and forced Guelph to foul. Toronto finished the Fall schedule with an 83-73 win.

 For the Blues Player of the Game Alaine Hutton led with 25 points and 7 assists while Nicki Shutz bounced back with an outstanding 17 rebound effort to go with her 16 points and Tara Kinnear had another strong game with a 17 point, 12 rebound Double. Erin McNeely had a 12 point night and Emily Larson chipped in with 7 on 3 for 4 shooting.

Reception in Memory of Glen Davis (Fri.Nov.28)

 The Varsity Blues team held a special reception in memory of our dear friend and team supporter, Glen Davis. Glen's time and financial support has had a tremendous impact on the women's basketball program.

 Following the Fri. Nov.28 game the Blues met in the Benson Student Lounge to remember Glen, acknowledge his support and announce a scholarship in his memory.

Blues Split Games in K-W (Nov.21-22)

  After winning three in a row at home the Blues then dropped three in a row on the road with a 71-63 loss at Laurier on Friday. Laurier jumped to a 24-15 lead at the quarter but the Blues settled down and chipped away at the lead closing it to 38-33 at the half and then taking a 49-48 lead going into the final 10 minutes. the two teams went back and forth with Laurier taking a 57-55 lead at the 6 minute mark. The Golden Hawks then took control again and slowly pulled away for the win that left Toronto still winless on the road.

  Both teams shot the same 38% from the field with an equal number of shots but the difference was at the foul line where the Blues had only 9 opportunities compared to the host team's 19. Laurier also out-rebounded the Blues 50-40.

  The Varsity Blues Player of the Game was Nicki Schutz with a 15 point, 17 rebound double-double. Alaine Hutton had a good 17 point, 4 assist, 3 steal effort.

  With a four game losing streak and no road wins the Blues were looking at Saturday's game at Waterloo as a "must win" to get the season back on track. The Warriors were coming off two OT wins last weekend and another win Friday night so they were playing loose and with confidence.

  Toronto came out with energy and jumped to an early 12-2 lead and were up 14-8 at the end of the first period. Waterloo closed the gap in the second but the Blues held on to a 28-25 lead at the break which was extended to 51-42 after 30 minutes. It looked like Toronto was going to pull away but the Warriors Kim Lee was not ready to hand over the game. She went off for 18 4'th quarter points including a 4 point play to bring the game down to a 1 point lead going into the last minute. Toronto's foul shooters went 1 for 6 in the last 20 seconds but the one foul shot and a put back by Tara Kinnear saved the win as the Blues led 69-68 at the buzzer.

  Player of the Game was Alaine Hutton with 26 points, 7 boards and 3 assists. Tara Kinnear followed with a 14 point,15 rebound D-D and Nicki Shultz had a 16 point, 13 rebound D-D. The Blues dominated the boards 64-40.

  Friday will be the 'Cheer Blue-Think Pink' night with funds raised going to help fight Breast Cancer. Join the University of Toronto Varsity Blues women’s basketball, volleyball and hockey teams as they host the 2nd annual Varsity Blues Think Pink weekend in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Last year, U of T led the way with the most funds raised among Canadian universities and we want to stay on top in 2008! Enjoy special entertainment and win fantastic prizes during an unforgettable weekend of women’s sports for a worthy cause.

Tough Two-Loss Road Trip (Nov.14-15)

  Coming off a 3 game win streak, the Blues expected to show their improvement and make up for their season opening loss to the Windsor Lancers in Calgary. But the Lancers, after suffering an upset loss at home last weekend, were out for their own revenge. The Blues were dominated from the start by an aggressive Windsor squad that forced turnovers leading to easy transition baskets and a 25-11 lead after 10 minutes. Toronto recovered a little in the second quarter but the lead was still extended to 47-29. The third was another repeat of the first as the Lancers extended their lead to 30 points. Both teams used their benches to finish off the game and Windsor showed why the are a Top Ten team with a 87-55 victory.

  Toronto had just 1 basket, a three by Emily Larson, from the 7 bench players and only 2 of the starters were able to hit for double digits as the Blues shot a very poor 32% and were out-rebounded 47-37. The only bright spot was the ability to draw fouls and get to the line for 14 of 16. Player of the Game was Nicki Schutz who led the Blues with 21 points while Alaine Hutton chipped in with 13 and Sherri Pierce added 9.

  On Saturday in London, the Blues ran into another team coming off being upset at home last weekend. The Western Mustangs were intent on getting back on track in front of a home crowd. Toronto had a much better start and in an intense close match took a 1 point 17-16 lead over the Mustangs after the first period. The Blues game plan was to take away the Mustangs strong inside game and leave the perimeter players some opportunities for long range shots. The strategy back-fired as three Western perimeter players went off for 12 three's from 25 shots. Western took a small 34-31 lead into the half time break and continued the hot shooting and pulled away for a 72-55 win. The gym was cold but the Blues were frigid as they shot a season low of 26% from the field.

  Nicki Schutz again led the Blues with a 15 point 16 boards double-double while Alaine Hutton had 16 points and Jess Hiew added 11 as Toronto dropped to 3-3 in League action.

Blues beat Mac and Lakehead (Nov.7-8)

 On Friday the Blues hosted McMaster looking to avenge their homecourt loss last March in the OUA Championship. Evan with this extra motivation the Blues had a sluggish start missing inside scoring opportunities and allowing the Marauders to score easily in transition. Mac took an early 18-14 lead after 10 minutes. The Blues got rolling in the second period and used their penetration and rebounding to outscore the visitors 9 for 10 to 1 for4 from the foul line and take a 34-29 lead into the half-time break. Mac was not finished as they fought back to tie up the game at 56-56 after three quarters. The Blues were outscoring Mac by 15-3 at the line, dominating the boards 51-39 and had 1 more shot but McMaster was outshooting Toronto by 42% to 29% to stay even.

 In the final 10 minutes the Blues took a small lead and hung on in a very intense battle. With two starters fouled out and just seconds left Toronto was up by 3. Taylor Smith got off a long range shot that dipped in looking for the tie but then kicked out and Toronto held on to the 68-65 win.

 The Blues were led by Player of the Game Alaine Hutton who led all scorers with 31 points while Nicki Schutz had a double-double of 21 points and game leading 16 rebounds.

  On Saturday Toronto had another slow start allowing Lakehead some early transition baskets but a balanced Blues attack kept UofT in the game. Toronto got to the foul line for 13 points compared to 5 for the Thunderwolves and after 10 minutes the Blues held a 29-25 lead in a high scoring fast paced quarter. A strong 20-14 second period sent the Blues into the half up 49-39 followed by a similar 21-16 third period that gave Toronto a 15 point lead going into the final 10. Lakehead made a run and got the lead down to 11 but again the Blues depth and balance proved too much as UofT increased the margin to 81-61 and rolled to a 90-76 win.

 The Blues were out-shot 41% to 38% and out-rebounded 56-44 but with 10 more points at the foul line and 14 fewer turnovers leading to more shots, Toronto maintained control of the game. Toronto was led by Player of the Game Sherri Pierce who had 17 points, 3 assists and 2 steals while playing tough defence on Lakehead's top guard. Alaine Hutton had 17 points while Tara Kinnear bounced back with 16 points and 8 boards while Joanna Medri had her best game of the year with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals for a strong two-way game. Nicki Schutz was in foul trouble and had some injury issues but managed 8 points and 10 boards in just 16 minutes.

Landmark Gift Launches High Performance Plans

THEY WILL CHEER 

 Basketball alumnus Ron Kimel (UC 6T6) recalls his days on the court, in front of a full house at Hart House. Now, 40 years later, Kimel's love of the game is the inspiration for a transforming gift that will allow the University to build a state-of-the-art 2000 seat basketball and volleyball court,the Kimel Family Fieldhouse, in the new Goldring Centre for High Performance which will be a critical hub for high performance sport in Ontario.

 The new facility will meet international standards and will enhance the UofT's intercollegiate programs and strengthen relationships with Ontario and Canadian sports governing bodies for basketball and volleyball.

  The Goldring Centre will also house research and teaching labs, a strength and conditioning centre and an expanded David L MacIntosh Sports Medicine Clinic.

                     (See "PURSUIT" fall '08 for complete article by Valerie Iancovich.)

Blues Overcome Scary Halloween and Bounce Back Big (Oct.31-Nov.1)

 It was Halloween and the host Ryerson Rams were not in a treat mode as they came out aggressively against the taller Blues squad and almost ran them out of the gym. The Blues were down 14 at the half before they were able to adjust to the Ryerson pressure, penetration and perimeter shooting. Toronto recovered their own game in the second half and were able to get back to within 1 in the final minutes before losing 72-65. The Blues did dominate the boards 40-28 and the foul line 26 for 35 compared to the Rams 20 for28, but it was the 25 turnovers and 30% shooting that cost Toronto any chance at winning. Player of the Game for the Blues was Tara Kinnear with a game leading 15 rebounds and 15 points for a double-double. Nicki Shutz had a strong 16 points and 9 boards while Alaine Hutton finished with 12 points.

  On Saturday in the return match the host Blues were not going to take the Rams for granted again. With renewed attitude, consistent effort and aggressive pressure defense, Toronto jumped out to a 26-7 first quarter lead. The Blues extended the lead to 41-13 at the half and cruised to an easy 74-40 win that helped erase the memories of Friday's disaster. Toronto dominated the boards 57-35, shot an improved 39% but had another high turnover total with 27.

  All twelve players contributed with ten playing double digit minutes and contributing to the scoring. The Blues were led by Player of the Game Nicki Schutz who had 17 points, 8 rebounds 2 assists and 2 steals in a well rounded game. Alaine had 14 points along with her 5 assists and 6 steals for another strong effort. Tara shot 5 for 5 to add 11 points while Sherri Pierce had 8 points and 4 assists. Rookies Emily Larson and Tania Meunier played quality minutes and chipped in 5 points each.

Blues Split Pair of Exhibition Home Games (Oct.24-26)

  On Friday the Blues hosted Concordia in their second home game of the exhibition season. After a slow start, the Blues were behind by 8 early and Tara and Nicki were in foul trouble and it looked like it could be a long night for the home team. But Toronto regained its composure and showed the depth of this squad. The Blues went on a run to take a 19-14 lead at the quarter and the two teams went back and forth for the next quarter leaving the Blues up 41-35 at the half. Toronto improved the lead to 63- 53 after three but hadn't put the Stingers away yet. Finally in the last quarter the Blues pulled away for an 87-66 victory with 11 players playing double digit minutes and 7 players contributing 6 or more points.

 The Blues were led by an outstanding 31 points in 25 minutes by Player of the Game Alaine Hutton who also had 4 assists and 4 steals. Tara Kinnear had 12 points while Sherri Pierce had a strong 11 points, 3 assists and 4 steals. Nicki Shutz had 8 points and led with 7 boards before fouling out.

 On Sunday Toronto hosted Western in a preview to the league match-up in three weeks in London. It was a battle of two well matched teams that went back and forth down to the last possesion of the game. The Blues were down by 1 after 10 and then 2 at the half as the Mustangs dominated the boards with 10 offensive rebounds. Toronto tightened up the rebounding in the second half and took a 54-50 lead at three quarters. The Mustangs came back and the game went back and forth till deep into the last minute when Western went up 4 after a UofT turnover at center. The Blues scored again and forced a turnover with 1.8 seconds left. Alaine threw up a shot from the mid-court line that swished throught the net but it was ruled that time had run out and the Blues suffered their first home loss of the pre-season.

 The Blues were led again by Alaine Hutton's 28 points followed closely by Nicki Shutz with 20. Player of the Game Sherri Pierce had a strong effort with 9 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds to lead the team on the boards and in assists. Jess Hiew had a solid game with 8 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists.

Blues Lose in Buffalo in Double Overtime(Oct.17)

 Toronto travelled to Daemon College for the Blues fifth game in eight days. The Blues used all 13 players in the first half and fell behind by 37- 22 to the home Wildcats. After another slow start in the second half Toronto was behind by 20 with 12 minutes remaining in regulation. The Blues then shortened their bench and made a run that brought them to within 1 with 3.5 seconds left. On the inbounds play the Wildcats fouled Alaine who tied the game up at 64-64 and sent it into the first OT period. Alaine scored a quick 7 points and the Blues took a 5 point lead but some questionable calls let the home team get back and tie it up once more at 76-76. In the second 5 minute overtime Daemon came out strong hitting two 3's and a layup to take a 6 point lead and Toronto, as Jess, Alaine and Nicki fouled out, was unable to recover again. The final score was 91-82.

 The Blues were led by Alaine Hutton's 18 points while Nicki Schutz had 15 and Sherri Pierce had 13. The Blues Player of the Game however was Tara Kinnear who had another double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

 The Blues did out-rebound the Wildcats (40-36) but lost badly at the foul line where the home team was 29 for 39 and the Blues were a poor 17 for 31. Toronto had a season low 11 turnovers.

Blues Win At Home (Oct.15)

Toronto played the first home game of the season on Wed. Oct.15 as the Blues hosted the University of Saskatchewan. Last year Toronto lost to the Huskies in double overtime in Saskatoon at Christmas and then again by 74-70 at the Nationals. But with a new season, 8 new players and a home opener, the Varsity Blues used a strong second quarter to beat the Huskies 59-50 in a low scoring battle. Both teams seemed tired and shot poorly but the game was played at a fast break pace till the last couple of minutes when Toronto held off a final charge from Saskatchewan.

 The Blues won the battle on the boards by 50-43, got to the foul line for 18 shots to the visitors 8 and kept the turnovers down to 19 compared to the Huskies 22. The Player of the Game was Nicki Schutz who led both teams with 18 points and 7 boards. Alaine Hutton had 12 points with 5 assists and Jess Hiew had 10 points and 9 rebounds. Erin Mcneely had a strong game with 8 points, 5 boards and 3 steals while Tara Kinnear was the leading rebounder of the game with 13.

Blues First Games in Calgary (Oct.10-12)

 On Friday the Blues met Windsor in their season opener. Even being the first game and having 8 new players in the lineup didn't explain the total breakdown that Toronto experienced. Both in the offensive and defensive ends the Blues could not get their game going. The Lancers took the early lead and ran away with an 83-49 win. Toronto was out-rebounded 46-21 and out-shot 48%-29% but did dominate at the foul line scoring 19 points to Windsor's 13. The Blues Player of the Game was Sherri Pierce who led the team with 15 points.

 On Saturday the Blues met up with the host Calgary Dinos and continued their struggle for the first 10 minutes and fell behind 27-11. After the 2 minute break Toronto came out with better defensive pressure, creating turnovers that led to some easier scoring, and started to chip away at the lead. Toronto won each of the final 3 quarters and closed to within 4 but finally lost 82-77. Toronto had finally started to play the way the team had been practicing for 4 weeks.

 The Blues again made it to the foul line scoring 26 of their 37 attempts, went to the boards picking up 18 offensive rebounds and had just 26 turnovers to the Dinos 33. Tara Kinnear had a double-double of 15 points and 13 boards, Nicki Schutz had 14 points and 5 boards but the Player of the Game was Alaine Hutton who had a 33 point, 7 steal night to lead both teams.

 On Sunday the Blues continued their strong play against Memorial in a game that put everyone behind on their Thanksgiving dinner plans as the game went on for three over-time periods. After tying at 83-83 after 40 minutes, the two teams went back and forth for two extra periods until the Blues finally pulled away 15-8 in the third to post a 121-114 victory for the first win of the season.

 Alaine had another outstanding game with 27 points, 8 assists and 4 steals and Tara had another double-double improving to 25 points and 17 boards but the Player of the Game was Nicki Schutz with a big 35 point, 14 rebound and 2 blocks effort.

  Alaine was selected as a Tournament All Star for her play over the weekend.