By Mohamed Ali

The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women’s basketball team opened their second home exhibition game in commanding fashion, defeating the Memorial University Sea-Hawks 98–61 on Saturday afternoon at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC).

TMU wasted no time taking control, opening the game with clean ball movement and suffocating defence. Fourth-year guard Kait Nichols led the charge early for the Bold, shooting a perfect four-for-four from the field to help propel TMU to a 23-point lead heading into the break. The Bold’s ball movement created open looks across the floor, allowing several players to find their rhythm early.

First-year guard Jessica Fuerte was an instant impact off the bench, connecting on multiple three-point attempts in the first half that energized the MAC crowd. Second-year guard Magdalena Vukojev added timely perimeter shooting that kept the dominant offence flowing. By halftime, the Bold offence had already surpassed the 50-point mark while shooting over 50 per cent from the field.

In the second half, TMU’s depth continued to shine as second-year forward Aislin McBurney was dominant on the boards, creating second-chance opportunities and providing a strong presence on both ends of the floor. 

One of the new additions to this Bold squad, fourth-year guard Myriam Kone, played a key role in pushing the tempo. Kone set up teammates with precision the entirety of the match. She recorded six assists, tied with Nichols for the team lead and was a defensive force with five steals, disrupting passes and turning them into transition points for TMU.

Late in the game, fourth-year guard/forward Zoe Idahosa added scoring from the wing, while rookie Fuerte stayed hot from beyond the arc.

The Bold’s defensive effort was consistent throughout, holding the Sea-Hawks to just 32 per cent shooting from the field. TMU forced numerous turnovers and capitalized with 25 points off giveaways. Memorial, on the other hand, managed just 14 points off turnovers. TMU’s length and energy limited the Memorial’s second-chance looks, maintaining full control of the game from start to finish.

Nichols finished with a game-high 21 points on efficient shooting, while Kone contributed across the board with scoring, passing and defence. Fuerte and McBurney both reached double figures off the bench, helping TMU shoot an impressive 56.9 per cent overall and 52.4 per cent from three-point range.

With this win, the Bold now look ahead to their next matchup as they continue preparations for the start of their Ontario University Athletics regular season later this month.

UP NEXT: The Bold will return to the MAC for the Darcel Wright Memorial Classic against the McGill University Martlets on Oct. 9. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m.