Box Score

The University of Regina's women's basketball team once again had a strong fourth-quarter effort in an 84-70 win over Alberta on Saturday night in a Canada West game at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport.

Just like Friday's game, the Cougars and the Pandas traded numerous leads throughout the first three quarters. The lead changed hands 11 times over the course of the game before No. 1-ranked Regina finally pulled away after scoring 10 consecutive points over a span of under two minutes midway through the last frame.

Michelle Clark sparked the Cougars by driving coast-to-coast for layups on back-to-back possessions during that 10-0 run. The Pandas got to within seven points with just over a minute left, but the Cougars were able to hit seven free throws in the final minute to keep the visitors at bay.

The Cougars ended up outscoring No. 8-ranked Alberta by a 29-14 margin in the fourth, turning a one-point deficit into a 14-point victory. The win stands as the Cougars' 19th Canada West victory in a row, a streak that includes two victories from last season and breaks the U of R record for most consecutive conference victories.

Clark ended up with a game-high 23 points for the Cougars, matching her season high set against Brandon (Jan. 7). Danielle Schmidt scored 18 for Regina, while Lindsay Ledingham chipped in with 17. Schmidt also had a game-high five steals.

Saskia Van Ginhoven had 18 points for Alberta and tied for the team lead with six rebounds, while Katie Arbuthnot came off the bench to score 17 and Nicole Clarke ended up with 12.

The Cougars wrap up first place in the Prairie Division with the victory and will host the Canada West wildcard team – either Winnipeg, Trinity Western, or Victoria – in the conference quarterfinals beginning Feb. 24. They'll wrap up the Canada West schedule with a pair of games next weekend at Lethbridge and one at Saskatchewan on Feb. 18.

Alberta (11-7) will finish its conference schedule next weekend at home against Brandon.

NOTES: Carly Graham and Joanna Zalesiak were both honoured after the game as part of Senior Night festivities at the CKHS ... Graham is in her final year of eligibility after playing her first three CIS seasons with Simon Fraser and her last two with the Cougars, while Zalesiak has a season of CIS eligibility remaining but will graduate from the U of R this spring.