OTTAWA - The Carleton Ravens women's basketball team wrapped up Opening Weekend presented by McKeen Metro Glebe with a commanding 85-41 victory.
The Ravens took over the game from the inside early on, scoring 14 points in the paint in the opening quarter. Kali Pocrnic (Oakville, Ont.) continued to drive the Ravens momentum scoring 9 points in the first quarter including a perfect 2-2 from the charity stripe. Despite shooting only 25% from beyond the arc Carleton's 52.9% shooting was enough to put them ahead by 7 after 10 minutes.
Kelly-Ann Coulombe led the Thunderwolves in the opening quarter scoring 8 of the teams opening 15 points, but cooled off in the second as Carleton pulled ahead by 14. Tatyanna Burke had 6 points for the Ravens in the second quarter while collecting five first-half rebounds.
The Ravens continued to pull away in the third, outscoring the visitors 25-10 with 58 points in the paint through the end of the third quarter. Burke's hot hand continued throughout the evening scoring 18 points in the second for a game-high 28.
The Ravens 44 point victory was a complete team effort with 9 players playing over 10 minutes including Kinly Rice. Rice provided the Ravens with 2 points and 2 rebounds off the bench.
Asked about the play of Burke, who's making her return to the Ravens line-up after a year on exchange, head coach Dani Sinclair sees what's possible. "[With] her, like with the team, we see where we can be," she explained. "The hardest part for her isn't that she wasn't playing at a high level, but that her teammates have evolved and there's some adjustment to be had."
Burke's adjustment may have taken a serious acceleration on Saturday night with her 28-point performance. Something the Ravens will look to capitalize on with five more games on the road before the exam break.
