Olds College Broncos women's basketball team defeated to the St. Mary's University Lightning 82-70 in the Broncos Alumni Home Opener game Saturday, Nov. 2 at the Ralph Klein Centre.

Prior to the game there was a ring ceremony for the 2018-19 women's basketball CCAA Championship winning team, followed by CCAA Player of the Year (Brittney Thibeaux) and ACAC and CCAA banner reveals.

The Broncos jumped out to a 12-2 lead in the first four minutes of the game off the backs of the Thibeaux sisters, with Brittney scoring eight and Brandi four. Michaela Allen-Gullion scored a three-pointer at the five minute mark to extend the Bronco lead to 15-4. St. Mary's responded with a three of their own moments later. The Broncos called a timeout after St. Mary's pulled the score to 17-14 for Olds. The Broncos scored a basket out of the timeout and then Brandi Thibeaux scored a pair of free throws to extend the lead to 21-14 for Olds. A Michaela Allen-Gullion three extended the lead before St. Mary's ended the quarter with a three of their own to make the score 24-17 for the Broncos.

Allen-Gullion took off where she left off to start the second quarter with another three-pointer. St. Mary's responded with a quick basket to cut the score to 27-19. Macyn Morning Bull hit both of her free throws in the middle of a 10-0 run that was capped off by another Allen-Gullion three for Olds to extend their lead to 37-19 five minutes into the second quarter. Megan Swartz made a basket and took a foul where she made the free throw to make the score 40-21. St. Mary's went on a small 9-4 run to force a Broncos timeout before Brittney Thibeaux hit a free throw to make the score 45-31 to end the first half.

St.Mary's started off the second half with a three pointer to cut into the Broncos lead to 45-34. The teams exchanged baskets back and forth. Neither team went on any sort of sustained run to change the margin of the Broncos lead by more than one point until the Broncos got into bonus and had a series of free throws to extend their lead to 61-47 before St. Mary's had a basket and free throw of their own, followed by a steal and another free throw to cut the lead to 61-50.

St. Mary's opened the third quarter on a four point run before a Brittney Thibeaux basket and free throw made the score 64-54 for the Broncos. Brittney Thibeaux continued her strong play leading the Broncos scoring as they took a 72-58 lead half way through the fourth quarter. Emily Wagner scored several baskets for St. Mary's as she tried to help St. Mary's keep up to Thibeaux and the Broncos. St. Mary's brought the score to 80-70 before the Broncos finished it off with the 82-70 win.

Player of the game for St. Mary's was Chayle Clark with 14 points and 10 rebounds and the Pit Barbecue Player of the Game for the Broncos was Brittney Thibeaux with a game high 31 points and 11 rebounds to go with three assists.

The Broncos led the game in rebounds 41-31, assists 19-15 and free throws 27-13 while St. Mary's held the advantage in the game in three pointers 7-5 and steals 10-6. Both teams had a block and 25 field goals. Michaela Allen-Gullion had a game high five three-pointers (5-15), Brandi Thibeaux had a game high seven assists and a team high three steals for the Broncos.

The Broncos host Red Deer College Friday, Nov. 8 for the Olds College Student Appreciation Game. Game time is 6:00 pm.

To learn more about Olds College, the Olds College Broncos and the basketball teams go to gobroncos.ca; like the Facebook page and follow @OldsBroncos on Twitter and Instagram.