Men’s Basketball
2022 U SPORTS Men’s Final 8 Basketball Championship Quarterfinal 4: Carleton punches ticket to semifinal with 94-77 win over Victoria
EDMONTON – Guard Alex Carson went off for a season-high 29 points to help lead the Dalhousie Tigers to a 90-77 victory over the seeded Brock Badgers in a consolation semi-final matchup early Saturday afternoon at Saville Centre.
Carson, a U SPORTS second-team All-Canadian recorded six threes to help the Tigers to a scorching 48.4 percentage from beyond the arc. He was flanked by fourth-year guard Keevan Venoit who finished with 19.
“We just played as a team today. We moved the ball; ran our plays. And I just hit some shots when my teammates found me,” said Carson. “For me personally I’m a senior, so I know this could’ve been my last game as a Tiger. We have some young guys who want to play well for the veterans. So everyone rallied, and played hard today, and we will need to do it again tomorrow.”
The Badgers were led all game by third-year guard Godsman Kwakwah who recorded 22 points going 8 for13 from the field.
Dalhousie led for the vast majority of the game, with the Badgers not able to cool the red-hot Tiger shooting. The Badgers finished with a 44.1 percent mark from the field, compared to the Tigers 49.2 in what ended up being the key difference in the loss.
The Tigers found their stroke early, shooting over 50 percent from long range with Carson, Venoit, and Marley Blommers hitting 10 in the first half. The Badgers’ explosive offence, first in the nation in scoring average this season, was largely held in check by the Tigers defence.
Dalhousie showed why they were the best team in the nation this season at defending the three-point line holding the Badgers to a 3/13 mark from beyond the arc. The Tigers entered halftime with a 50-35 lead.
Brock found an offensive vessel in Kwakwah in the second half, who scored 15 of his 22 points after the break. They also tightened up their perimeter defence and outscored the Tigers 42-40 throughout the last half.
Brock could not overcome Carson’s career night, however, as he scored seven of Dalhousie’s 18 fourth-quarter points to put away the Badgers.
The Tigers keep their weekend alive and advance to play the winner of the other Consolation semi-final between the McGill Redbirds and Victoria Vikes tomorrow at 1 PM MST/3 PM EST.
“We want to represent our school and athletic program well,” said Carson. “We want to end the season on a high note tomorrow with a win, and I think we will do that.”
Nike Top Performers
- Dalhousie Tigers: Alex Carson
- Brock Badgers: Godsman Kwakwah