Box Score Box Score

The University of Regina's women's basketball team jumped out to a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-three Great Plains Division final after defeating the Winnipeg Wesmen by a score of 64-45 on Thursday night at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport.

The No. 3-ranked Cougars were tough on the defensive side of the ball all night, including holding Winnipeg to just six points in the first quarter as Regina took a 16-point lead after one. Thursday's game was never in doubt, as the Cougars never trailed and led by as many as 23 points midway through the second quarter.

“We won it with our defence tonight,” Cougars head coach Dave Taylor said. “We talked all week about how we might be rusty offensively from the bye and made sure that we gave ourselves the opportunity to win the game defensively.”

Making her third start of the season in place of the injured Chelsea Cassano, second-year post Brittany Read led the Cougars with 18 points and added 11 rebounds for the double-double. Jessica Lynch also had a double-double, scoring 13 points and pulling down 11 boards.

Regina's defence held the Wesmen to 16% shooting on the night, as Winnipeg hit just nine of its 55 field goal attempts. The Cougars also outrebounded the Wesmen by a 55-36 margin.

Caitlin Gooch led Winnipeg with 19 points, was a perfect 8-for-8 from the line, and hit all three of the Wesmen's three-pointers. Jessica Stromberg scored 11 for Winnipeg.

The two teams will meet in Game 2 of the series on Friday night at 7 p.m. at the CKHS. Should a third and deciding game be needed, it will be played on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.

NOTES: Cassano missed Thursday's game due to a rolled ankle and is being considered on a day-to-day basis … the Cougars improved their all-time home playoff record against Winnipeg to a perfect 12-0.