The University of Regina's men's basketball team defeated the Trinity Western University Spartans 105-81 in the Canada West quarter-finals.
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The Cougars achieved their highest point total of the season with a balanced attack that included six double-digit scorers.
Benjamin Hillis and
Majok Madol both double-doubled, finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds each to lead the Cougars to the Canada West Final Four.
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The Cougars started the first quarter with a 6-0 run to jump out to an early lead. While the Spartans responded with a basket of their own, the Cougars scored four more to lead 10-2 at the 6:18 mark of the first. The Cougars offence kept humming along throughout the remainder of the quarter as they led 31-14 after 10 minutes. Cougars guard
Brayden Kuski hit a difficult buzzer-beating three to push the Cougars lead to 17 points.
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Regina kept it going in the second quarter, scoring the first five points. With 5:46 left in the second, a three-pointer by Spartans player Ja'Qualyn Gilbreath made it 40-25 to close the Cougars lead to 15 points. Regina closed the quarter on a 15-6 run to take a 55-31 lead into halftime.
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Continuing the same pattern as the previous quarters, the Cougars again scored the first four points of the third. The Cougars seemingly had an answer every time the Spartans scored, staying ahead by at least 28 points for the last seven minutes of the frame. The Cougars led 81-51 after 30 minutes.
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The fourth quarter was no different as the Cougars continued to attack and respond every time the Spartans scored. Trinity Western closed the gap to 22 points with just over three minutes left. That would be as close as they got as the Kuski again responded with a three-pointer. The Cougars ran out the rest of the clock to punch their ticket into the semi-finals.
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Kuski flirted with a triple-double, finishing with a line of 14 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists.
Josiah Thomas (17 points),
Matt Barnard (13 points, seven rebounds), and
Arinze Emeka-Anyakwo (10 points) were the other Cougars that scored in double-digits.
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Mason Boucier recorded his second-consecutive triple-double for the Spartans, finishing with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. Tre Filmore (15 points), Ja'Qualyn Gilbreath (14 points, eight rebounds), and Andrew Goertzen (14 points, eight rebounds) scored in double-digits for Trinity Western.
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The Final Four will be hosted in Edmonton by the University of Alberta on March 18 and 19. The Cougars will take on the University of Victoria Vikes for a chance to advance to the Canada West Finals.
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