(By University of Regina Sports Information)
REGINA – The game was tied at the half, but the University of Regina Cougars exploded in the third quarter and won 84-57 over Lethbridge on Saturday in a Canada West women's basketball game at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport.
The Cougars simply took over during a six-minute stretch in the third, going on a 25-3 run which turned a tie game into a 22-point lead for the home side.
"We struggled with their zone defence in the first half, but were able to get out and run in the third quarter," Cougars head coach Dave Taylor said. "I was happy we were able to deal with our Saturday issues. We've struggled in the second game of the weekend in recent series, but we were able to get through that tonight."
One night after collecting a season-high 25 points, Charlotte Kot had her first double-double of the year after leading all players in both points (16) and rebounds (12). Sara Hubenig added 15 points, while Carolina Goncalves scored 12 points and Kyanna Giles had 11 points and eight rebounds.
Rookie post Lauryn Prokop (pictured) provided a big spark with six points and four rebounds during that game-changing run. She had arguably her best game in a U of R uniform, finishing with eight points and a season-high nine rebounds.
Zoe Dahl hit three triples and finished with 15 points to lead Lethbridge, which falls to 8-2 on the season with the loss.
The game started out with a big advantage to the visitors. Lethbridge scored eight straight at one point during the first quarter and the Pronghorns led by as many as nine, but the Cougars brought it back and Lethbridge led by just two – 17-15 – after the opening period. Regina took its first lead since the game's opening minutes with a Kot jumper from the top of the key with two minutes left in the half and it looked like the Cougars would take a three-point lead into halftime after a triple by Caitlin Zacharias late in the quarter, but Lethbridge's Kacie Bosch hit a long three at the buzzer and the two teams went into the break tied at 32-32.
The Cougars never led by fewer than 20 points after that big third-quarter run.
Regina improves to 7-1 on the season and will now prepare for two road games against a UBC team that will enter that series at 4-6.
Lethbridge, which drops to 8-2 after suffering its first two losses of the season this weekend, will return home to host Fraser Valley.
NOTES: Christina McCusker returned to the lineup for the Cougars, making her first appearance since suffering a lower-body injury against UFV back on Nov. 10.