On Thursday night, the York University Lions women's basketball team fell to the Ryerson Rams in their season opener on the road at the Mattamy Athletic Centre 77-59.
 
The Rams got off to a hot start in the first quarter, but the Lions held in tight. Despite going on a five point run, Ryerson would need to call a timeout after York went up 12-8. Out of the break Rams guard Marin Scotten hit a three pointer as her side closed out the quarter with an 18-12 lead.

To start the second Scotten and Lauren Golding exchanged three pointers keeping the contest tight as the Rams maintained their six point lead for most of the quarter. With 8 seconds left on the clock, fourth-year guard Emma Jonas dribbled passed her defender Hayley Robertson, hitting a buzzer beating jumper as the Ram tripped over her footing to cut the lead to five. The Lions outscored the Rams 19-18 in that frame, heading into half-time down 36-31.
 
The second half was a story of slow starts for the visiting team, getting good looks off of great ball movement, the Lions failed to convert as the Rams went on a 9-2 run to start the quarter. Recollecting themselves and the tempo, York was able to get to the foul stripe four times on seven possessions off the aggressive play of Katrina Collins-Samuels, and Cyanna King going a combined 5-7 from the free-throw line, with King going 7-10 in the game.
 
Towards the end of the fourth, a pair of three pointers from Collins-Samuels and forward Megan MacLeod kept the Lions within reach, but the Rams proved to be too strong off the stroke of Scotten, who went on to score 6-10 from behind the arc, dropping 24 points in the Rams home opener.
 
King led on both ends of the floor for the Lions picking up a double-double with 11 points and a game leading 11 rebounds.
 
The Lions will look to bounce back on Saturday as they return to Tait McKenzie Centre to host the Algoma Thunderbirds at 6pm, a team the Lions haven't lost to in six seasons.