SASKATOON, Sask. – In the first of two U-Prairie Challenge contests this weekend between Saskatchewan and Regina, the visiting Cougars took the first round Thursday night (Jan. 29) at the Ron & Jane Graham Centre Court. With a 72-66 victory, Regina picks up a crucial victory in the race for the final playoff position in the Canada West Prairie Division, while the Huskies now have their backs up against the wall with just three games remaining.
The visitors set the tone early, going 9-for-18 from the field and receiving a boost off the bench from Isaiah Bay who knocked down a pair of give Regina the early lead. However, a Huskie advantage at the free throw line and some strong defensive play allowed the Dogs to trail just 22-16.
The second frame saw the tightly-contested play continue as Saskatchewan took the frame by just one point 17-16.
Easton Thimm recorded eight of his team-high 15 points to lead the Huskies and came up with a well-timed block in a solid defensive quarter for Saskatchewan.
Coming out of the half, the Huskies threated to seize control, but Regina responded with their best defensive stretch of the game. A 9-0 run midway through the quarter, fueled by back-to-back steals, pushed the lead to nine and silenced the home crowd. Despite struggles from beyond the arc, the Cougars defensive pressure limited the Huskies to just four field goals in the frame, giving Regina a 49-42 cushion heading into the fourth.
In the closing minutes of the contest Saskatchewan made the final push, pulling to within a single point of the Cougars. Back-to-back triples from Lodi Kenyi would follow however, rebuilding the Regina lead. As the final seconds came off the clock, the Cougar lead proved to be just enough to hold off Saskatchewan and secure the road win.
Along with his team-high in points,
Easton Thimm recorded 17 rebounds for his eleventh double-double of the season.
Mohamed Mahadhi and
Treyvon Folkes would each add double-digit point totals in the contest with 14 and 13, respectively.
For the visitors, Lodi Kenyi delivered decisive blows, pouring in a game-high 27 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists. Ben Kamba would add 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
The two teams will face off again in two days' time, with the weekend UPC series shifting to Regina and the Centre for Kinesiology, Health and Sports. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM.
