REDS Edged By Panthers

(HALIFAX, NS) In a Friday night thriller, the UNB REDS' women's basketball team came up just short.

Deborah Aboagye scored with 0.9 seconds on the clock to lead her third-seeded UPEI Panthers to a tight 75-73 victory in their 2025 Bell Atlantic University Sport Women's Basketball Championship quarter-final contest against the No. 6 ranked REDS.

UPEI, who last won an AUS title in 2019-20, will advance to Saturday night's semi-final against the second-ranked Acadia Axewomen.

Lauren Rainford, an AUS 1st Team All-Star, scored a game-high 26 points in the win, 18 of those coming in a first half in which UPEI looked every bit the higher seed they were coming into the game.

In the opening quarter, Rainford and teammate Abby Miller each scored eight points as the Panthers shot 61-percent from the field. While Miller cooled off a bit, Rainford did not, adding 10 more in the second quarter to help her team to a commanding lead at the break.

Instead of just rolling over, the REDS fought back.

Ann Bastien poured in nine points and AUS 1st Team All-Star Katie Butts chipped in with six in the third quarter as UNB went on a 23-11 run to erase the deficit and tie the game at 55-55 heading into the final quarter, the highlight being a Lillian Fuller three-point shot with just seconds left to tie the contest.

With things all squared, the teams traded baskets early on in the final frame. UNB pulled away a touch mid-way through the quarter when back-to-back buckets by Bastien and Butts gave the REDS a five point lead.

Now the chasers, UPEI's Devon Lawlor took matters into her own hands, draining a three-point shot, making a layup and then hitting another three to put UPEI back ahead 69-66 with 2:39 remaining.

After trading a handful of free throws, UPEI led 73-70 with four seconds left in the game, forcing UNB to call a timeout. Whatever head coach Erin McAleenan drew up worked as UNB inbounded the ball and found Bastien for a step back three to tie the game and draw a roar from the crowd.

Cue the timeout from UPEI head coach, Matthew Gamblin.

And like his counterpart McAleenan did so just seconds before, whatever Gamblin put on the white board worked.

Rainford inbounded the ball to Miller, who turned and headed to the basket. When she looked up, she spotted Aboagye wide open underneath the basket. Miller fired a bounce pass, Aboagye collected it and laid it in with 0.9 seconds left to stun the REDS and the crowd at Scotiabank Centre.

Bastien led the REDS with 20 points while AUS All-Rookie Team selection Addie Mombourquette added 15. Butts was her usual consistent self with 14 points, 14 rebounds and an amazing seven blocks.

Lawlor finished the contest for UPEI with 17 points.

RECAP BY: Brody Mark/Atlantic University Sport

PHOTOS BY: Nick Pearce/for Atlantic University Sport