McGill’s men’s basketball team defeated defending national champions Laval 67-50 in the opening game of the RSEQ season at Love Competition Hall on Thursday.
The win marked the start of the 123rd season for McGill’s men’s basketball program, following the anniversary of James Naismith’s birth on November 6, 1861. Naismith, a McGill graduate, invented basketball in 1891.
Laval, which had a strange 2023-24 season, finished fourth in the RSEQ standings with a 6-10 record. Despite this, they won their first national title as the host team, sweeping all three games at Nationals.
The game started strong for McGill, who took a 10-2 lead early. They led 14-12 after the first quarter, but the teams were tied at 28-28 at halftime. In the second half, McGill took control, winning the third quarter 21-10 and holding on with an 18-12 finish.
Georges Lefebvre led McGill with 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and one steal, playing a team-high 29 minutes. Alexis Messier added 12 points, including four three-pointers, while Alexandre Reinert-Woodfine scored 10. Saransh Padhy chipped in with nine points.
Laval’s Jayden Larosiliere was the game’s top scorer with 21 points.
McGill dominated the boards with a 42-29 rebounding advantage. Both teams committed 16 turnovers. McGill shot 43.1% from the field (25-for-58), made 7 of 26 three-pointers, and went 10-for-12 from the free-throw line. Laval struggled, shooting 37% (20-for-54), with 8 of 24 from three-point range and 2 of 9 from the free-throw line.
Both teams will play again on Saturday, November 9. McGill will host Concordia at 6 p.m., while Laval will face UQAM at 8 p.m. Fans are advised to use public transportation for McGill’s game, as parking near the Sir Arthur Currie Gym will be limited due to the Montreal Alouettes’ CFL Eastern Semifinal at 3 p.m.
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