Eoin Colquhoun, Pronghorn Athletics

LETHBRIDGE – Never trailing from after the four minute mark of the opening quarter, the Alberta Pandas rebounded from a Friday night loss to earn a weekend split with the Lethbridge Pronghorns with a 68-58 win.

While the Pandas led for nearly 34 minutes, the result was in doubt right into the final minutes of the game. With just over five minutes to play the Pronghorns brought the game within a one possession game but the Pandas closed the door with a timely run and strong defensive play.

Entering the game, both teams had already guaranteed themselves a post-season appearance and both will play in single game elimination game next weekend. With the win, the Pandas finish the regular season with an 11-9 record and with the loss the Pronghorns finished with the identical record but based on the RPI, the Pronghorns will be seeded ninth and the Pandas seventh.

Playing in her final home game as a Pronghorns, senior guard Zoe Dahl led all scorers and tied her season high with 21 points. Kacie Bosch hit for 18 points and Kathryn Hankins chipped in with 13 points.

For the Pandas, Elle Hendershot, also playing in her final Canada West regular season game, picked up her second consecutive double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds. Hendershot also had five assists and three steals. Lauren Earl led the Pandas with 18 points as only two Pandas hit for double digits.

Following a tight back-and-forth opening quarter, where the Pandas held a 15-14 lead, Alberta began to build some separation in the second quarter, extending the lead to 11 points, however, Lethbridge closed the opening half with a 12-6 run to cut the deficit at half to only five points at 37-32.

Trading baskets through the opening five minutes of the second kept the game with in a possession or two but an Alberta mini run of 7-0 pushed the visitors back into a double-digit lead and settled for an eight point lead with 10 minutes to play, 51-43.

Like they did a night ago, the Pronghorns opened the fourth with an early run, 10-4 but unlike last night, Alberta responded with a run of their own to restore a double-digit lead, capped by a back breaking three-pointer from Jenna Harpe with just over two minutes to play.

Statistically, the end result was also close but the Pandas finished slightly ahead in majority of the categories. The Pandas hit of 43.6% of their field goals compared to 39.6%. Alberta made two more shots from behind the arc eight to six, outrebounded the Pronghorns 32-17 and turned the ball over three fewer times.

Both teams will face a Canada West play-in game next weekend, with the Pronghorns traveling to Vancouver to face the UBC Thunderbirds, while the Pandas will host the Manitoba Bisons with the winners of the single game playoff advancing to a best of three quarter-finals in two week' s time.