DAVID LARKINS, Wesmen Athletics
The Winnipeg Wesmen's hopes of a playoff spot will come down to the final two games of the season.
Six Regina Cougars scored in double figures and the Wesmen women's basketball team lost its third straight game Saturday, dropping a 79-66 Canada West conference decision at the Duckworth Centre.
Macaela Crone had 13 points and 13 rebounds to pace the Cougars, who moved to 15-3 on the season with their sixth straight win.
Winnipeg's playoff aspirations now come down to two games against their crosstown rivals, with a Thursday-Saturday home-and-home series that is likely to determine whether the Wesmen are in or out. Winnipeg fell to 6-12 on the year and sits four points back of 11th-place Manitoba, which won twice at Thompson Rivers to improve to 8-10. MacEwan is also at 6-12 and so long as the Griffins do not earn one more win in their final two games than the Wesmen do, Winnipeg will be in the post-season. The Wesmen hold a tiebreaker over the Griffins due to records against common opponents.
The Wesmen could also move up in the standings with two wins over the Bisons but can rise no higher than 11th.
"I don't think I need to motivate the kids this final week," Wesmen head coach Tanya McKay said. "This could be our final week, so you know they're going to give all they have and you know those two games against Manitoba are going to be highly emotional games. I know the kids will be prepped and I know they'll be ready. The key will be if they stay in control of their emotions and stay in the now. If they allow the game to catch them they're going to be a tough two games. But if we stay in the now I think they can stay composed and compete."
On Saturday, Faith Hezekiah carried the load in a big way for Winnipeg, setting a Canada West conference record for most field goal attempts in a game with 41. Hezekiah finished with 35 points, her conference-leading sixth 30-point game of the season. Hezekiah's field-goal mark surpassed Cassie Cooke of Brandon, who had 37 attempts in a game in 2013.
"We knew (Hezekiah) was going to come out and gun," Regina head coach Dave Taylor said. "I actually thought we did a pretty good job for someone who got 35 points. If it's going to take 41 shots, we're OK with that. Fourteen-for-41, we'll live with that percentage."
Jessica Dyck matched a career-high with 16 points and had a career-high six steals for the Wesmen.
Kyanna Giles also had 13 for Regina, which outrebounded Winnipeg 54-30. Kyia Giles and Carolina Goncalves both added 11 and Michaela Kleisinger and Christina McCusker chipped in 10.
Photo: David Larkins/Wesmen Athletics