December 1 - After suffering just its second loss of the Canada West season one night earlier, the University of Regina’s women’s basketball team recovered to defeat the Manitoba Bisons by a 70-64 score on Saturday night at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport.

In a game that was much different than Friday night’s, the Cougars took the lead midway through the first quarter and never relinquished it. Manitoba came to within one point in the third and closed the lead to three points in the final moments of the game, but couldn’t come any closer.

“We talked before the game about having to establish a level of effort at our home gym,” Cougars head coach Dave Taylor said following the game. “We had an outstanding effort tonight, but we’re continuing to live on the edge as a team with our foul shooting and turnovers.”

Megan Cherkas led the way for Regina, scoring 11 points and adding 10 rebounds to notch her second double-double of the season. Chelsea Cassano led all scorers with 18 points and added seven rebounds for the Cougars. Gabrielle Gheyssen matched Cherkas’ 10 boards.

Manitoba’s Kait Flett had a team-high 17 points, with Tessa Klassen (15) and Melanie Schlichter (12) also breaking into double figures in points. Schlichter led all Bisons with seven rebounds on the night.

The Cougars’ biggest edge in the game was in the rebounds category, where they pulled down 57 boards compared to Manitoba’s 30. The Cougars shot 20-for-42 from the free-throw line and turned the ball over 30 times. Manitoba had 15 less attempts from the charity stripe than Regina, but sunk one more from the line than the hometown Cougars.

“We’re living in a fool’s paradise if we think we can continue to win in this league given our performance from the foul line and the amount of turnovers,” Taylor said. “Our rebounding flat out saved us tonight.”

The No. 6-ranked Cougars improve to 8-2 with the win, while Manitoba falls into a tie for second place in the Great Plains Division with Winnipeg at 4-6.

Regina will have the rest of December off and will return to action on Jan. 4 and 5 against Thompson Rivers and Fraser Valley at the CKHS.

NOTES: Tonight’s game marked the 150th regular season meeting in the 40-year rivalry between these two teams … Regina holds an all-time record of 69-81 against the Bisons in the regular season.

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