By Renata D’Aliesio
All sorts of barnyard animals came out to watch York University destroy the Rams women’s basketball team, setting their playoff hopes out to pasture.
The women lost by 28 points in their final home game Feb. 25 to a crowd half-filled with vocal York supporters.
Ryerson couldn’t come up with a successful response to York’s tenacious full-court press. Nor could their fans produce a witty comeback to the bird, sheep and dog calls York supporters taunted the Rams with throughout the game.
“I thought we would maybe play better because it was out last home game here, but it didn’t work out that way,” said Ram Karen Ure.
Rye coach Sandra Pothier believes York’s full-court press played a key role in their lopsided 82-54 defeat.
“I thought we played well in spurts but we just had too many lapses in key times,” said Pothier. “We had problems with their full-court pressure and those turnovers they capitalized in transition to hoops, and I think that got us out of sync offensively.”
Approaching half-time the Rams were only down by nine points, but some Ryerson players didn’t seem to care. With three seconds to go in the first Ram’s player Nadine Barnes watched a pass sail by her and made no attempt to chase after the York player fighting for the ball.
Ure isn’t sure if the team quit on the game, but admits they did not have much cohesion on the court.
“We did not have everybody working together at the same time,” said Ure, who finished the game with 19 points.
Ryerson point guard Karina Navarro agrees the Rams lacked chemistry.
“I don’t think we brought it together as a team. Everyone seems to just be playing for themselves.”
Pothier was hoping the team would finish strong in their last game of the season on Friday in Laurentian. Those hopes never materialized with a 72-37 defeat.
Ure, Navarro and Pothier are now looking towards building for next year. With the whole team expected to return, Pothier hopes to turn this year’s losses into victories next season.
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