UNB women’s basketball turn to “Think Pink”

Cover Photo Credit: Bailey Young

The UNB women’s Reds basketball team opened their annual Think Pink fundraiser, wearing head to toe pink, with a controlled 70–52 win over the Dalhousie Tigers, setting the tone early with pace, spacing, and defensive pressure.

Think Pink is a fundraiser the UNB Reds hold annually to support breast cancer awareness. Over the course of several days, teams across different sports take part by wearing pink, sharing stories, and showing support for people in our community who breast cancer has affected.

UNB opened the scoring through #21 Katie Butts, and the starting 5: #4, #21, #33, #14, and #11, immediately established rhythm. The Reds pushed the ball in transition and moved it efficiently in the half court, forcing Dalhousie into early rotations.

UNB won the first quarter with use of strong ball reversal and inside-out action, leading to clean looks outside the arc, as the Reds connected consistently from beyond the paint. Defensively, UNB limited penetration and controlled the glass, jumping out to a 23–4 lead after ten minutes.

#15 Clancy Maclntyre asserted herself early in the first quarter. She controlled space in the paint, finished through traffic, and made smart reads when help defenders collapsed. Her activity on both ends helped UNB maintain tempo and physicality.

“I was really excited for this game because the support everyone shows by wearing pink is so beautiful,” said MacIntyre. 

Alyssa Mcavour, a regular attendee of the women’s basketball games, says it was awesome to see a high turnout for this game specifically.

“You could really feel the energy in the gym, and it meant a lot to see so many people showing up to support such an important cause,” said Mcavour. 

Leadership was in full force at the hands of #33 Ann Bastin, as she ran the offense with high basketball IQ. Bastin controlled the tempo, made smart decisions around the rim, and executed strategic plays that consistently put her teammates in scoring positions.

UNB continued to build separation in the second quarter. #11 generated consistent second-chance points with strong offensive rebounding and quick put-backs, while #23 Zoe Osclamps found effective touches inside, attacking seams in the Tigers’ defense. The Reds  headed into halftime up 38–19.

Dalhousie responded with improved energy in the second half, but UNB stayed in control. The Reds stayed connected defensively, limited transition opportunities, and executed late in possessions. Maclntyre remained a key presence throughout the Think Pink matchup, setting the tone with effort and physical play. UNB closed the game with control, securing the 70–52 win. Ann Bastin won Player of the Game, recognized for her leadership, ball control, and aggression on both ends of the floor.