EDMONTON – The University of Alberta Pandas basketball team is off to their second consecutive 6-0 to start a season thanks to a sweep of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack with a 63-54 win on Saturday night at the Saville Community Sports Centre.

NEED to know:  Pandas have a combined 17-1 record in their first six games over last three seasons Game Star: Maddie Rogers (AB) – 13 points, 7 assists Game Star: Emma Piggin (TRU) – 22 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists Stat Line: Pandas – FG: 24-53 (45.3%), 3PT: 7-24 (29.2%), FT: 8-10 (80%), 35 rebounds, 20 fouls, 16 assists, 23 turnovers, 2 blocks, 5 steals Wolfpack – FG: 20-58 (34.5%), 3PT: 3-12 (25%), FT: 11-18 (61%), 32 rebounds, 12 fouls, 4 assists, 21 turnovers, 2 blocks, 8 steals

Over the last three seasons, the Alberta Pandas have strung together a 17-1 record over their first six games, including back-to-back 6-0 starts from last season and now this season.

Alberta had a trio of players sink double digit points on Saturday, led by Maddie Rogers' 13-points, while Shay Crisp added 12 and Megan Tywoniuk scored 11. Crisp, a fifth-year transfer from the Victoria Vikes program, drained a troika of three-pointers against TRU, and also picked up three free-throws in one of her best efforts in a Pandas' uniform. Rogers, the team leading scorer this season, also picked up seven assists. 

The WolfPack, meanwhile, drop to 1-5 on the season following the weekend sweep. They were led on the night by Emma Piggin, who scored a game high 22 points. The third-year guard also hauled in seven rebounds and dished out two assists in a solid night for her. Chelsea Hoey recorded a double-double for TRU, picking up 17 points and 10 points, but the scoring fell off a cliff for the visitors after that, with the next highest scorer getting just six points, that by Michelle Bos.
The two teams were neck and neck throughout most of the first half, with Alberta earning slim leads after each quarter to pull ahead 24-20 at the half.

The Pandas had their best quarter of the game in the third, outscoring Thompson Rivers 18-12 to build a cushion going into the fourth. Although the WolfPack outscored the Pandas 22-21 in the final frame, they could get no closer than the 63-54 final score line.

Alberta will return to action next weekend when they travel to Winnipeg to take on the Manitoba Bisons. Thompson Rivers, meanwhile, will host the UBC-Okanagan Heat.