WINNIPEG – A three-point game was broken wide open in the final minute-and-a-half of the first, as the Mount Royal Cougars surged to a 76-57 win over Manitoba on Friday night at IGAC.
 
The win improves their record to 10-9 while the Bisons fell to 7-12. Manitoba can still clinch a playoff berth with a win tomorrow, or a Winnipeg loss to Lethbridge.
 
Leading 15-12, the Cougars sunk back-to-back threes to extend their first quarter lead to 21-12. They then went on an 11-6 run in the opening four minutes of the second, holding on the rest of the way.
 
Veteran Maddy Hooper, and Winnipeg native Asha Donnelly hit triples to extend the Cougars' lead to nine, and later 12 by the end of the first. The former added four rebounds and three steals, while the latter recorded all 11 of her points in the opening ten (tying her season best), nine coming from corner threes.
 
Three different Cougars finished in double figures in scoring, led by double-doubles from Nora Luca (the team's leading scorer and rebounder) and Jenika Martens. The pair combined for 37 points and 26 boards overall.
 
Rookie stalwart Paige Schatkowsky led Manitoba with 17 points, one shy of her career high. She's scored in double figures three times in her last five games, using her strength to get inside for quality looks all game.
 
Senior Emerson Martin added 16 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double, while leading scorer Anna Miko added 11 points, the 12th time this year that she's scored in double figures.
 
The two teams play again tomorrow at 5 pm. Martin and Autumn Agar will be honoured pre-game in their final regular season home game as a Bison.