TORONTO – At this stage of the game, every point counts for the Lakehead Thunderwolves.
Locked in a battle for one of the final playoff OUA women’s basketball playoff spots, the Wolves used a huge second half effort Saturday night to pick up a crucial 73-61 win over the host Toronto Varsity Blues, picking up points against a team ahead of them in the standings.
Lakehead trailed by eight at the half, but rallied after the break, vaulting past the Varsity Blues with a 33-8 run to mount an insurmountable advantage and improved their record to 3-6.
The Wolves got the lion’s share of their points in the paint.
Starting centre August Ricketts piled in 15 points, while reserve pivot Gillian Lavoie came off he bench and added 15 of her own.
Lakehead did most of its damage in the third, finishing the quarter on an 18-2 run, Katelyn Zen picking up seven points in the quarter.
A 13-2 run to start the fourth put the game away, Lakehead jumping out in front by 17 when Lavoie hit a jumper six minutes in.
Lakehead returns home next weekend for a pair of games against division-rival Brock.