Box Score The Bison women's basketball team is still looking for their first win of the season after losing 64-44 to the #9 University of Alberta Pandas at Investors Group Athletic Centre on Friday, November 20 night.
 
With the win, the Pandas remain undefeated and now boast a 5-0 record, while the winless Bisons fall to 0-5.
 
Manitoba guard Nicole Konieczny led both teams with 16 points. Jessilyn Fairbanks and Megan Wickstrom both had 11 for Alberta.
 
But despite the loss, Bison head coach Michele Hynes remains optimistic about her team's progress.
 
"It was a pretty physical game," she said. "I think we're establishing ourselves as a pretty physical defensive team. Compared to preseason, we were a little more disciplined with it. We ask our kids to get up and pressure, so we're going to get into some situations where we foul a little more, but as they get better with it – and they were getting better with it tonight – it'll start to clean itself up."
 
Both teams struggled offensively at the start of the first quarter. Despite repeatedly breaking coverage and driving to the net, players from both sides missed layup attempts. The game stayed evenly paced until Wickstrom sunk a three-pointer to give Alberta a 10-4 lead. Manitoba doubled their four points, but the visitors added nine more, including four on free throws, to finish the first up 19-8.
 
The Bisons brought stronger defense at the beginning of the second. Manitoba only gave up four more points in the first four minutes of the quarter, but the Bisons couldn't break out of their own offensive slump. The home side only scored four points in the second, courtesy of a jump shot from Emma Thompson and a pair of free throws by Konieczny. The Bisons racked up more team fouls than points in the quarter and left the Pandas shooting in bonus for the second straight quarter. The Pandas only made one free throw in the second, but still led 32-14 at the end of the half.  
 
Manitoba's offense shone in the third. Addison Martin had six points in the quarter alone to help the Bisons catch up to the Pandas. But fouls remained a problem for the home team. Manitoba exceeded five team fouls midway through the quarter for the third time in the game. Alberta bounced back offensively in the final moments of the quarter, scoring nine points in the last five minutes to end the third up 47-29.
 
The Bisons and Pandas seemed evenly matched at the start of the fourth. The Bison offense stayed strong, but it wasn't enough to overcome the nearly 20-point deficit. Just under five minutes in, Jenilyn Monton scored Manitoba's first and only three-point jumper of the night. For the first time in the game, the Bisons only tallied four team fouls in a quarter and shot in bonus after the Pandas racked up five of their own. Manitoba made four free throws in the quarter, but Alberta took the game 64-44.
 
The Bisons and Pandas will face off again at 4 p.m. CT on Saturday at Investors Group Athletic Centre.