HAMILTON, Ont. - The cream has risen to the top in OUA women's basketball, with the top four teams in the regular season advancing to the OUA semi-finals on Wednesday.

The OUA women's basketball playoffs are presented by Investors Group.

The No. 2 nationally-ranked Windsor Lancers (22-1) put their 19-game win streak on the line against their arch rival Western Mustangs (18-5) in the West Division Final. The Lancers survived a scare from the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in the division semi-final, winning 78-67. The Golden Hawks had cut their deficit to five with just two minutes remaining before Windsor secured the victory.

Five Lancers reached double-digits in points against Laurier, showing their depth in scoring. Fourth-year forward Alisa Wulff (Pickering, Ont.) earned a double-double with a game-high 16 points and 13 rebounds. Third-year point guard Dranadia Roc (Montreal, Que.), the Lancers all-time leader in scoring, netted 15 points, while second-year forward Iva Peklova (Prague, Czech Republic) contributed 14. Fourth-year guard Shavaun Reaney (Sherwood Park, Alta.) and fourth-year forward Emily Ross (New Minas, N.S.) scored 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The Lancers defeated the Mustangs in both regular season meetings in 2008-09, but Western remains a dangerous opponent. The Mustangs eliminated the defending OUA champion McMaster Marauders 69-61 in the division semi-final, as four Western players reached double figures in points. Fourth-year guard Amanda Anderson (Dover Centre, Ont.) led the way with 22 points, while fourth-year forward Bess Lennox (Ottawa, Ont.) grabbed 13 rebounds and 11 points for a double-double. Fourth-year guard Nadine Paron (Arva, Ont.) and fourth-year forward Megan Lapointe (Burlington, Ont.) each contributed 16 and 12 points, respectively, for the Mustangs.

The West Division Final features the top players in the division on the same court at the same time. Anderson led the division in points with 355, four better than teammate Lennox who set a new OUA single-season record in rebounds with 270. Wulff and Peklova finished the season third and fourth in rebounding in the West Division, combining for 345 boards. Peklova was also third in field goal percentage in the division with a 49.7 percent success rate. Roc (pictured) was fourth in points in the division with 315, but led in three-point shooting percentage with a success rate of 40.3 percent. Defensively, Lapointe was second in the division in blocks with 21.

These teams met in the OUA quarter-final last season, with the Lancers winning 71-69 on the road.

The Toronto Varsity Blues (18-5) will host the Ottawa Gee-Gees (16-7) in the East Division Final. The Varsity Blues were neck-and-neck with the Ryerson Rams through three quarters, but pulled away at the end for a 78-69 victory in the division semi-final. A pair of Toronto players earned double-doubles, with fifth-year post player Tara Kinnear (Kemptville, Ont.) earning a game-high 22 points and 17 rebounds, while third-year forward Nicki Schutz (Toronto, Ont.) tallied 20 points and 15 boards.

The Gee-Gees are the Cinderella story in these playoffs, coming off a 3-19 record one year ago. Ottawa defeated cross-town rival Carleton 56-49 in the division semi-final, ending a four-game losing streak against the Ravens. Fourth-year guard Allison Forbes (Riverview, N.B.) scored a game-high 12 points, while second-year centre Hannah Sunley-Paisley (Toronto, Ont.) grabbed a dozen rebounds.

Ottawa has a formidable task in front of it, facing the defending East Division champions. Toronto boasts the best one-two scoring punch in the conference, as fourth-year guard Alaine Hutton (Hamilton, Ont.) and Schutz combined for 754 points. Schutz and Kinnear are the top rebounding duo in OUA combining for 439 boards. The Varsity Blues won both meetings against Ottawa during the regular season.

Second-year guard Emile Morasse (Quebec City, Que.) led the Gee-Gees in points with 294 while Sunley-Paisley was the team leader in rebounds with 177 during the regular season.

The winners of the OUA division finals not only advance to the OUA Women's Basketball Championship on Saturday, but each earn a berth to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Women's Basketball Championship from Mar. 6 to 6 in Regina, Sask. The OUA final will be played at the home of the West Division winner.

OUA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SEMI-FINALS

Wed., Feb. 25
6 p.m. Ottawa @ Toronto
7 p.m. Western @ Windsor

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