Saturday 14 January 2012

Bill McLean's AUS Report: Just got a whole lot wackier


The AUS just got a whole lot wackier as we reach the midway point.
The UNB Varsity Reds pulled off the shocker of the new year, upsetting the UPEI Panthers 80-77 at the Richard Currie Centre in Fredericton.
Alex DesRoches scored 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Reds to their biggest win of the season and provide a huge momentum lift as they get right back into the thick of the race for the AUS Championships at the Metro Centre.
Two weeks ago the Panthers were in the hunt for a national ranking and looked like a lock for a first round bye at playoffs, while the Reds looked like a team that would almost certainly be on the outside looking in come March.
But now, by virtue of earning four points in the standings with their win over a struggling Panthers team, the Reds are now part of a five team log jam for second place in the AUS with 12 points.
Terrance Brown scored 22 points to lead UPEI who has dropped their first three conference games of the second term after sprinting out to a 6-0 record before the holidays.
UNB led 41-30 at the half. The Panthers tied the game with three minutes left but UNB answered the bell and held on down the stretch as UPEI struggled to score. 
WIth five more "4 point" games on the schedule this weekend, expect more chaos in the standings before Sunday night. UPEI now has to get ready for the #2 ranked X-Men on Sunday afternoon in Charlottetown (Panthers TV), while the Reds will get right back at it tomorrow night versus the inconsistent Acadia Axemen (varsityreds.ca). If Brent Baker and the Reds can gain another four points, they should find themselves in contention for the rest of the season as they get ready to play five home games in February. 

Four Point Game Weekend
Saturday's Games
8 PM AT  Saint Mary's at Dalhousie (4 point game)  SSN Canada
8 PM AT  Memorial at Cape Breton (4 point game)  Capers TV
8 PM AT  Acadia at UNB (4 point game) V-Reds TV
Sunday's Games
3 PM AT  Memorial at Cape Breton (4 point game)  Capers TV
4 PM AT  St. FX at UPEI  (4 point game) Panthers TV

Standings
St. FX  7-1, 18 pts.
Acadia 3-4, 12 pts.
Dalhousie 3-4, 12 pts.
Cape Breton 5-3, 12 pts.
UPEI 6-3, 12 pts.
UNB 3-6, 12 pts.
Saint Mary's 5-5, 12 pts.
Memorial 1-7, 2 pts.


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