WINNIPEG – Third-year guard Lauren Foullong had the night of her life on Friday at IGAC, tying the Canada West single game record for three pointers in a 95-83 win for the visiting UBCO Heat against Manitoba.
 
The win improves UBCO's record to 10-9, as they continue to gain momentum ahead of the Canada West Women's Basketball Playoff Tournament, hosted by Fraser Valley February 21-25. Manitoba fell to 6-13, but are still in a playoff position due to Winnipeg losing to Regina. Final seeding will largely be decided after this weekend, barring Thompson Rivers' re-scheduled series against Victoria.
 
Foullong made nine triples on 14 attempts, while her 29 points were just three shy of the single game program record. The Orangeville, ON native went three-for-seven from distance in the first half, adding two more in the third and four in the fourth.
 
Overall in the second half, she only missed one shot from three point range.
 
The Heat also got a double-double from veteran CanWest All-Star Jaeli Ibbetson, who hauled down a career high 21 rebounds, just two shy of the Heat's single game program record.
 
Manitoba battled all night, and were within two buckets for most of the first three quarters, but were unable to match from the perimeter.
 
Despite the score, senior Emily Johnson put up a game-high 20 points, while four different Bisons scored in double figures, including rookie Anna Miko, who had 16 points, two blocks, a steal, an assist and five rebounds. It's the first time in her career she's scored in double figures in back to back games.

"[Forward] Emerson [Martin] has helped give me the confidence to use my size and my length," said the 6'1" Miko. "I've actually never been a post-driven player. She's taught me a lot of skills so that I can get my confidence to go up."
 
Manitoba's leading perimeter shooter Emily Mandamin added 13 points, including three second half triples, while point guard Lauren Bartlett had 17 points, two steals, nine assists and seven rebounds. She's just nine assists shy of the program record for career assists (361) entering her final regular season home game as a Bison.
 
A back and forth game was broken open four minutes into the third by Foullong. She made two triples in a row to give UBCO a ten-point lead.
 
Manitoba got the score to within two on a Mandamin three, capping a 9-2 run with buckets from Bartlett, Martin and Miko, but shortly after, Ibbetson controlled the glass, getting four straight free throw attempts.
 
Overall, Ibbetson had 12 attempts from the line, while the Heat – who don't have a player below 5'7" – grabbed 58 rebounds compared to 34 for Manitoba.
 
Four early points from Johnson in the fourth cut UBCO's lead to two at 65-63, but once again Foullong had the answer from distance, as the Heat shot 50 percent from three, while Manitoba went 5-for-12. The Herd kept the game within five in the fourth, but were unable to close the gap from there.
 
Both teams will play again tomorrow at 5 pm.

"I think I really need to box out and use my size against [Ibbetson] to force her out of the paint," said Miko. "She's a really strong player. I think getting on the boards will help. We want to bring more energy for tomorrow. We really want to win."