Box Score Box Score

The University of Regina's men's basketball team used a 20-3 run late in the third quarter and early in the fourth to defeat the Brandon Bobcats by a 69-55 score on Friday night in a Canada West game at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport.

The turning point of the game might very well have come with 12 seconds left in the third quarter. Following a scrum off a missed three-pointer by Brandon's Dany Charlery, first-year Cougar guard Darius Mole inexplicably launched a 70-footer that caught nothing but net, turning a two-point Regina lead into a five-point advantage heading into the final quarter.

“It was a fluky shot, but it really took the wind out of their sails and got the crowd into it,” Regina head coach James Hillis said. “It was definitely a nice positive going into the fourth quarter.”

Mole's long-distance effort came right as the momentum was clearly shifting in favour of the Cougars. Brandon had built up an eight-point lead in the third but Regina had taken the lead back late in the quarter, thanks in large part to inspired play on both sides of the ball from new wing Jimmy Scroggins.

The Cougars rode that momentum right into the fourth, scoring 12 of the first 14 points of the quarter to essentially put the game out of reach.

“Our defensive play was the key to tonight's game,” Hillis said. “Jimmy and Jordan (McFarlen) did a great job on Charlery, and it's a real luxury to have two guys that can defend a player like him that well.”

Kris Heshka had 14 points to lead the Cougars, while Jeff Lukomski had 13 and Paul Schubach scored 11. Scroggins had 12 points, four rebounds, and three steals in an energetic 17 minutes off the bench for Regina.

Tarik Tokar had a game-high 18 points for the Bobcats, while Kyrie Coleman led all players with 11 rebounds.

The win improves Regina's record to 7-6 as the Cougars remain in sole possession of third place in the Prairie Division. Brandon falls to 6-9 with the loss.

The two teams will play again on Saturday night at 8 p.m.