Trinity Western University’s women’s basketball team dropped its second game of the weekend, 73-55 to the Calgary Dinos Saturday night at the Jack Simpson Gym in Calgary.
The loss in their final game of the first semester drops the Spartans to 4-6, while the victory moves Calgary’s Dinos to 6-4.
“Tonight was a tough one but a game in which we battled much harder than last night,†TWU head coach Cheryl Jean-Paul said, right after Saturday’s setback. “We were able to take away some of their easy three point looks and got them deep into the shot clock multiple times per quarter but struggled to finish the defensive sequences with a solid board against their bigs.â€
Jean-Paul said “a few too many turnovers in the backcourt†stole any momentum they would have garnered from transition scores.
“But we’re learning that the second night against a tough opponent is not easier – they will make adjustments that we have to be able to read and respond to the looks we are able to create through those adjustments,†she added.
Second year forward Kayla Gordon and rookie guard Jessie Brown with 12 points each led the Spartans’ attack, while Kelsey Lund with 16 points and 10 rebounds and Kristie Sheils with 12 points led the Dinos.
Early on, the Dinos were dominant defensively, holding the Spartans to just a single point in the first five minutes of the game.
Two quick baskets from the Dinos midway through the quarter led the Spartans to call a time out as the Dinos were ahead 11-3.
Trinity Western followed with a six-point run, bringing the Spartans within two points of Calgary, but a couple of late baskets by the Dinos gave Calgary an 18-11 lead after the first quarter.
The Spartans kept pressing through the majority of the second stanza, and a cold streak for the Dinos’ offence led to a tie game, 21-21, midway through the second quarter. Immediately following a Calgary time out, the Dinos’ offence found their stride with a seven point run.
A late basket from the Spartans rookie Jessie Brown kept the game close, as the Dinos clung to a 28-23 lead going into the second half.
The Dinos finally pulled away in the third quarter, going on a six-point run in the first two minutes of the half. Brianna Ghali provided the Dinos with strong play on both ends in the second half of the quarter, including two steals and two baskets, giving the Dinos a comfortable 51-36 advantage going into the final quarter.
Calgary came out flying in the final frame, putting up three baskets from outside the arc in the first two minutes, to extend their lead to 20 points.
The Spartans managed a four point run midway through the quarter, but they were unable to sustain any pressure against Calgary’s solid defence. The Dinos completed the night with a commanding 73-55 win.
Saturday’s game was the final conference game of the first half for the Spartans.
TWU will open up the second half of Canada West action when they host the University of Regina on Jan. 9 and 10 at the Langley Events Centre.
FINAL BUZZER: TWU finished the night shooting 35.4 per cent (23-65) from the field, 25 per cent (3-12) from the three point line and 75 per cent (6-8) from the foul line, while Calgary shot 46.9 per cent (30-64), 36.8 per cent (7-19) and 60 per cent (6-10) respectively.