Ben Matchett, Dinos Communications
CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos are headed to the Canada West women's basketball semifinal for the first time since 2013 after a two-game sweep of the University of Victoria Vikes thanks to an 80-61 win Saturday night in the Jack Simpson Gym.
Calgary (17-5) heads to first-place Regina for a best-of-three conference semifinal beginning Thursday night in the Queen City. CanadaWest.tv will have exclusive live coverage.
After a 105-49 whitewash in Game 1 Friday night, the Dinos expected and got a more assertive effort from the Vikes with their season on the line. However, on the strength of 45 points off the bench, Calgary was able to hold Victoria off to book their ticket to the conference's round of four – from which two teams plus national host Regina will qualify for the U SPORTS championship.
"Last night was a completely different story: we had five people in double figures, and then tonight you're getting it from the bench instead," said Dinos head coach Damian Jennings. "That's who we are – each game presents a different scenario, no game is ever the same, so for us to be able to know that if we have a night where it's not coming from the starting group, the rotations are wonderful options."
Bobbi Jo Colburn led the way for the Dinos with 22 points in 25 minutes off the bench, with Katie Upham pouring in 11 in just 19 minutes. The Vikes were able to hold the Calgary starters to just 35 total points, led by a dozen from Shannon Hatch.
In a series that was billed as a battle between the high-flying Victoria offence and the stingy Calgary defence, it was the home side's prowess without the basketball that proved the difference in the two contests. Calgary held Victoria to its two lowest offensive outputs of the season, allowing just 110 points in the two games. Saturday, the Dinos forced the Vikes into 32 turnovers and just 14 per cent shooting from beyond the arc while picking up 16 steals, despite losing the battle on the glass 43-36.
"I think we did win that battle, yeah," said Jennings. "Not to take away from the efforts of Victoria tonight, they certainly came at us more aggressively, and their defence stifled us a little bit today. But I think our defence won the double battle this weekend."
Aleah Ashlee led the way for Victoria with 16 points, with Amira Giannattasio adding nine and Amy Sprangers contributing eight. Haily Weaver and Ashlee pulled in nine and eight rebounds, respectively, to lead all players in that category.
With the first obstacle cleared, the Dinos turn their attention to the Cougars, who posted a league-best 18-2 record in the regular season. And with the change in playoff format this season away from the Final Four to a best-of-three, the dynamic will be unfamiliar to both teams.
"The way things are, with the three-game semifinal it's different than the Final Four was," said Jennings. "We have two very similar styles – we have two teams that can shoot the ball on any given night and enjoy playing defence as well. This will be a possession game – who looks after it and who makes the fewest errors will probably be successful.
"It should be fun."
The series opens at the University of Regina's Centre for Kinesiology, Health, and Sport Thursday night at 6 p.m. MT.
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Photo by David Moll