PRINCE GEORGE – The University of Alberta Pandas women's basketball team improved to a 3-0 regular season record, defeating the UNBC Timberwolves 78-65 Friday night at the Charles Jago Northern Sport Centre.

It was the third-straight loss for the Timberwolves who fell to 0-3 on the season. 

Fifth-year guard Maddie Rogers led the Pandas with 18 points in 23 minutes of playing time.

She was among four Pandas who scored in the double digits; first-year guard Emma Kary had 11 points, while fifth-year guard Shay Crisp and second-year forward Brooklyn Legault each had 10 points. 

The Timberwolves were led by third-year forward Vasiliki Louka with 21 points, while fifth-year forward Stacey Graham had 11.

Except for 20 seconds in the first quarter, the Pandas never trailed UNBC, thanks to an early 9-2 run in the first four and a half minutes. UNBC rebounded to take a brief 10-9 lead thanks to a pair of shots from the three-point arc from Eleni Sterioupolou.

Alberta charged back to take the lead in the final two minutes of the quarter and never looked back for the remainder of the game, thanks to sinking their shots from the perimeter and inside the paint. 

The Pandas outscored the Timberwolves 24-20 in the second quarter to lead 44-32 at the half, thanks to 13 points in 20 minutes from Rogers.

They maintained their pace in the third quarter and built an 18-point lead early in the fourth quarter, their largest lead of the game.

Alberta made 47.3 per cent (26-55) of its shots from the floor, and where 43.5 from three-point range.

The Timberwolves shot 41.8 per cent from the floor, but only made four of 17 shots from the three-point arc.

Friday's match was the first time the Pandas have visited UNBC in nearly four years. The Pandas beat the Timberwolves 87-45 in Prince George in 2012. 

The two teams meet again Saturday. Game time is 5 p.m. at the Charles Jago Northern Sport Centre.