WINNIPEG -- Down by as much as 12, and six entering the fourth, the Regina Cougars battled back to beat the Manitoba Bisons 80-67 on Friday night at IGAC. The Cougars are now 6-1, maintaining top spot in Canada West's East Division. Manitoba fell to 1-3. Both teams play again tomorrow at 5 pm.
Regina out-scored Manitoba 21-4 in the final ten minutes of play, with local product Izzu Fust and reigning Canada West Player of the Year Jade Belmore combining for 15 of those 21 points.
Belmore finished with 24 points, and added four steals in the fourth, tying a school record with nine overall in the contest while collecting 12 rebounds for the double-double.
Manitoba got a game-high 18 points from
Emerson Martin, while
Anna Miko finished with 13. It's Miko's third straight game scoring in double figures, a personal best for the sophomore. Her field goal percentage of 66.7 also leads Canada West.
"I thought we were composed for 30 minutes, and we kind of lost it," said Bisons head coach
Michele Sung.
"We know that this group has put together some better 40 minutes, maybe not this year. We're still kind of chasing that 40-minute mark."
The first three quarters were an absolute battle, with both sides ramping up their defensive intensity. The Cougars held a 43-42 halftime lead, with Manitoba heading to the fourth up 63-59.
Miko had a block, rookie
Darya Rom had a steal, and Manitoba shot 80 percent from distance during the third. Martin was cash on both of her attempts from three-point range, while Rom and Mandamin also hit from distance.
The Herd forced six turnovers in the third, and 22 overall, however Regina matched their play, forcing 34.
Manitoba added 18 points in transition, forcing four straight Cougars turnovers to start the third while going on an 11-3 run with triples from Martin, Rom and Mandamin.
Miko had the play of the quarter, stealing the ball away at the free throw line, and taking it back the other way for a smooth kiss off the glass. But a Belmore steal in transition and bucket cut Manitoba's lead to four, with Regina capitalizing on their captain's momentum in the fourth.
The Cougars were in the bonus for the last five minutes of the final frame, and scored 42 points total off turnovers in the contest.
"I was really happy that we kept them to the points in transition that we did until the last five minutes," added Sung.
"The floodgates opened, and we kind of knew that was a possibility if we let them get out. It's a weird start to the season. For us, I felt like it was our first week to prep for a Canada West matchup. The amount of information and video we had in terms of our prep, I was really pleased with that today."
