OTTAWA – Sabine Dukate came up clutch on the biggest stage of them all, leading the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women's basketball team to a second U SPORTS title in program history.
 
The Huskies took down the Brock Badgers by a score of 82-64, thanks in large part to Dukate's record-setting shooting performance.
 
"For our fifth years to come in and win a national championship in their first year and then go out national champions, it couldn't be any more special," said Huskies head coach Lisa Thomaidis. "I couldn't be happier, we played our best basketball at the right time, peaked at this tournament and we played unselfish, quality basketball. I'm so proud of what we did this year and what they did this weekend."
 
Dukate's performance was one for the ages. Playing in her final game with the Huskies, the fifth-year guard knocked down eight of the 12 three-pointers she attempted on the night, the most in a U SPORTS Final 8 game for at least the last 11 years.
 
"I just kept shooting, coach said we had to take our shots and that's my job on the team," said Dukate.
 
Leading the team with 24 points in the game, Dukate was named the tournament MVP and a tournament all-star.
 
Joining her on the tournament all-star team was Summer Masikewich, who finished the night with 20 points and nine boards. Katriana Philipenko knocked down a trio of treys for 11 points while Carly Ahlstrom added nine points and ten rebounds. One of the more impressive games from Saskatchewan came from fourth-year guard Libby Epoch who finished with nine points, nine rebounds and seven assists.
 
As has been the case all tournament long, the Huskies got out to a strong start. Pounding the ball down low, Masikewich had six points in the opening frame to help Saskatchewan jump out to an 18-12 lead after one.
 
Led by tournament all-stars Samantha Keltos and Melissa Tatti, the Badgers answered in the second taking their only lead of the game with five minutes left in the second half at 31-29 thanks to a Keltos three.
 
From there it was all Saskatchewan though.
 
Ending the frame on a 16-2 run that included seven points from Carly Ahlstrom and six from Dukate, the Huskies took a 45-33 lead into the halftime break.
 
The Badgers managed to cut that gap down to as few as five but anytime they pushed, Saskatchewan had an answer.
 
Ten points from Masikewich and six from Dukate in the third sent Saskatchewan into the final ten minutes of play with a 16-point lead.
 
That lead would balloon to as many as 26 in the fourth before a late Badger push made the final score 82-64 in favour of Saskatchewan.
 
The Huskies held Brock to just 34.3 per cent shooting while knocking down 43.9 per cent from the field and 14-35 from beyond-the-arc.
 
Huskie Athletics invites fans to our Championship Celebration Wednesday, March 11 at noon at the Physical Activity Complex to congratulate our national champion women's basketball team.