Matt Johnson, Huskie Athletics
SASKATOON – In a clash between the two top squads in Canada West, the University of Saskatchewan women's basketball team picked up a statement victory over the Alberta Pandas on Bell Let's Talk Night by a score of 87-43, on Friday, Jan. 25 on Ron & Jane Graham Centre Court.
"All these games are huge now; they're basically all playoff games. Our goal is to get better every single weekend and every time we get challenged by a really solid team, it's a great opportunity and I thought we did that tonight and rose to the occasion," said Huskies head coach Lisa Thomaidis.
Saskatchewan and Alberta entered the matchup riding long winning-streaks. With the Huskies, winners of their past ten contests and the Pandas victorious in their past twelve games, something was bound to give. Each team entered the clash with matching 14-2 records and first place in the conference was up for grabs. The Huskies picked up the win on the backs of a stellar night from three-point land, as the team finished with a 52.0% clip on 13-25 shooting from beyond-the-arc.
Sabine Dukate led the way from Saskatchewan with 16 points. Summer Masikewich picked up a double-double with 13 points and 16 rebounds. Katriana Philipenko was lights-out from three-point range, as she connected on all four of her attempts from downtown and recorded 14 points off the bench.
Emma Kary finished with 18 points on 7-15 shooting to go along with six rebounds for the Pandas. Megan Tywoniuk recorded seven points, while Saskatoon native Lauren Earl picked up five points and three boards in her return to the Bridge City.
Saskatchewan moved to 15-2 with the win with three games remaining in their regular season, while Alberta falls to 14-3 with the loss.
The Huskies got out to a dominant first quarter start, hopping out to a 16-6 lead. Saskatchewan's length proved to be pivotal in the early-going, as Alberta was unable to penetrate the defensive efforts of Masikewich and Kyla Shand.
Epoch's prayer from the parking lot late in the opening frame made it 24-13 in favor of the home team. Kary, who entered the contest as a top-ten scorer in the Canada West with 17.3 points per game, led the way for the visiting Pandas in the quarter with eight of the team's 13 points after connecting on both of her attempted three-pointers.
Saskatchewan continued their strong start with an equally impressive second quarter, as they outscored Alberta 26-13 in the frame.
Masikewich and Shand were a force on the boards in the first half, as the pair of forwards out-rebounded the Pandas by themselves, 12-11.
Libby Epoch, Philipenko, and Dukate each paced the Huskies attack in the half, with each of the guards chipping in eight points respectively.
After a busy opening quarter, Saskatchewan was able to limit Kary to only two points in the second frame.
The Huskies continued to pour it onto the Pandas to begin the second half, with the home side getting out to an 8-0 run, paced by a lay-up and a corner three from Kelsey Lalor to make it 58-26.
Saskatchewan was able to hold Alberta to 22.2% shooting in the third quarter, as the visitors continued to struggle to muster up any sort of offensive efficiency. In comparison, the Huskies shot 50% from the field in the frame.
Dukate got it cooking in the final quarter, as the Ventspils, Latvia native, who entered the weekend as the eighth leading scorer in program history, hit back-to-back triples to help Saskatchewan continue to build upon their lead.
The Huskies held the Pandas to only seven points in the fourth quarter on 11.1% shooting, including 0-7 from beyond-the-arc.
Alberta and Saskatchewan will take the court for the second time in as many nights on Saturday when the Huskies look to pick up the series sweep.