Amber Doyle, Bison Sports 

WINNIPEG – For its home opener, the Bisons women's basketball team gave up 16 unanswered points to begin the contest and went on to lose 85-48 against the No. 2 ranked University of Regina Cougars on Friday, Nov. 3 at Investors Group Athletic Centre. 

"You're not going to win many games when you start out like that," said Bisons coach Michele Sung. "They're a good team and we knew we'd have to play pretty well perfect to beat them."

Bisons captain Emma Thompson scored a lone three-pointer in the first for the Herd's only scoring play in the quarter. 

The team's shooting efficiency in the opening quarter was 5.6 per cent, while the Cougars sunk 55 per cent. 

The Cougars went on to have more than triple the Bisons points at halftime as the visitors led 48-13. 

Thompson was the Herd's only double-digit scorer, putting up a total 15 points.  

Meanwhile, the Cougars forwards dominated the scoring. Charlotte Kot put up 16 points, while Christina McCusker added another eight.  

Kot and McCusker's scoring plays were largely assisted by Winnipeg sisters Kyanna and Kyia Giles. The Giles twins posted a combined eight assists, and Kyanna added 18 points of her own. 

This is the first weekend of play for the Cougars and the second weekend of play for the Bisons. The Herd started its season with a pair of loses to the University of Saskatchewan Huskies last weekend (Oct. 27/28) in Saskatoon. 

Both teams play again on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 5 p.m. CT.