The University of Regina's women's basketball team got out to a near-perfect start on Saturday night, but UBC came back for a 68-63 win to sweep the best-of-three Canada West quarterfinal series in two straight games.

The Cougars tore out of the gates with 21 of the game's first 25 points, opening up a 17-point lead with four minutes to go in the first quarter.

But UBC cut the lead to nine by the end of the first, and then a 15-2 run for the No. 2-ranked Thunderbirds gave them their first lead of the game late in the half.

UBC's momentum continued after halftime with a 9-1 run that opened up a double-digit advantage for the home side midway through the third. But just when UBC opened up its largest lead of the game - 16 points - with five minutes to go, the Cougars rallied.

They scored the next 10 points - including six straight from Jennilea Coppola - to cut the lead to just six with 2:30 remaining. But they couldn't draw any closer until it was too late, when a late Kehlsie Crone triple brought the deficit down to five with 10 seconds to go. UBC hit six free throws in the final minute to seal the win.

With the series win, UBC advances to the Canada West Final Four, which the Thunderbirds will host next weekend. 

Harleen Sidhu scored a game-high 21 points and led UBC with eight rebounds, while Kara Spotton came off the bench to score 12.

The starting five for the Cougars accounted for all 63 points in Saturday's game. All hit double figures, including Alyssia Kajati (pictured) with a team-high 16 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. Coppola, Crone, and Katie Polischuk all had 12, while Charlotte Kot finished with 11.

The game was the final time in a Cougar uniform for Coppola and Taylor Pelletier, who both played five seasons for the U of R. The other eight players on the Cougars' roster are all expected to return, and they'll be joined by a healthy Sidney Dobner and incoming first-year players Michaela Kleisinger, Avery Pearce, and Alexi Rowden.