Written by: Ben Matchett, Sports Information Director, University of Calgary Dinos

CALGARY – They didn’t shoot the ball particularly well in the process, but the No. 6-ranked Calgary Dinos improved to 14-5 on the season with an 87-76 victory over the Manitoba Bisons (8-11) Friday night in the Jack Simpson Gym.

Sophomore guard Ashley Hill (Airdrie, AB) struggled from the field all night, going only 3-for-16, but she still managed to lead her team with 18 points as the Dinos overcame a sloppy effort and a 29-point night from Manitoba post Melanie Schlichter (4th year, Winnipeg).

“We’ve played very well and won at times this year, and we’ve played ugly and won at times this year,” said Calgary coach Shawnee Harle. “Tonight I thought it was an ugly win. You have to give credit to Manitoba, they made some things happen and they made us win ugly.

“It’s a good night when you can win and you don’t shoot well, and the two players in the top five scoring don’t shoot well. We cut our turnovers down, which is important for us, and we still found a way to win even without our best players being our best players.”

Schlichter was on fire for the Bisons all night, connecting on seven of her 14 field goal attempts and scoring 12 of her 14 free throw attempts to lead the Bisons with her game-high 29 points in just 30 minutes on the floor.

Calgary earned the win with six players recording 11-plus points. Four of the five starters scored 13 along with Hill’s 18 as the Dinos stayed true to their pattern of scoring by committee.

“We have a lot of kids that contribute,” Harle said. “I thought Megan Lang did a very good job for us at the point guard spot, I thought Michelle (Willson) was a horse on the boards, and I guess we just have to remember that nobody’s taking pictures and it’s still a win. There are going to be nights like this.”

Willson (5th, Red Deer, AB) scored the double-double with her 13 point, 13-rebound night, which was nearly matched by Whitney Haswell (4th, Oakville, ON) with 13 points and 11 boards. Lang, a freshman guard out of Calgary, added three assists to her 13-point night.

The game featured five lead changes in the first four minutes of play with neither team able to pull ahead until Calgary embarked on an 11-0 run to go up 21-11. The Bisons cut the margin to 25-17 at the end of the opening period. That eight-point cushion was more or less maintained throughout the contest, and the Dinos did not get another double-digit lead until late in the fourth quarter as the Bisons were forced to foul.

Kayla Klassen (2nd, Winnipeg) had 14 points behind Schlichter’s 29, while Jenna Ralston (2nd, Mission, BC) chipped in with 11 for Manitoba.
The win moves Calgary into a temporary tie for first place in the Central Division at 14-5, pending the result of Friday night’s Alberta-UBC game, while Manitoba drops to 8-11 on the year. The Bisons will make the short trip south to face the Lethbridge Pronghorns Saturday night, while the Dinos will play host to the Winnipeg Wesmen in their final home game of the regular season. Tip-off goes at 6 p.m. MT.