QUICKLY
The No. 8-ranked University of Alberta Pandas pulled away from the Regina Cougars in the second half for a 75-50 win on Saturday night in a late-season Canada West women's basketball game at the Saville Community Sports Centre.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After the Cougars dropped Friday's game in overtime, they started out strong on the defensive side of the floor on Saturday. They held Alberta scoreless for nearly the entire first half of the opening quarter, going up 8-0 before the Pandas hit a pair of free throws with 5:10 remaining in the period. Those free throws started a 14-4 run for Alberta, which gave the Pandas their first lead of the game.
• Regina took a slim 18-17 lead into the second quarter, but Alberta put together a two-minute surge which saw five different Pandas score during a quick 12-0 run. The Pandas led by 10 at the halftime break before Regina closed the gap to just 4 early in the third, but Alberta closed the quarter on a 15-5 run to push the lead to 14.
• The fourth quarter was all Alberta, outscoring Regina by an 18-7 margin as the Pandas sealed their second win in as many nights over the Cougars and their 12th consecutive victory.

NOTES

• Jayden Tanner led Alberta with 20 points while Annacy Palmer scored 18 for the Pandas. Claire Signatovich finished with a double-double, collecting 10 points and 14 rebounds.
• Regina's Jade Belmore also had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Izzi Fust added 10 points and 6 rebounds.
• The weekend sweep puts Alberta (14-2) into the driver's seat to finish in one of the Prairie Division's top two spots, which would give the Pandas the right to host a play-in game and a Canada West quarterfinal matchup on Feb. 21 and Feb. 22. Alberta can clinch a top-two finish in the division with wins in three of its final four games as they finish up the conference schedule against Mount Royal and MacEwan.
• The Cougars (12-4) remain in contention for one of the top spots in the division, but will almost certainly need to sweep both Saskatchewan (14-2) and Calgary (13-3) the next two weekends.

NEXT UP
The Cougars prepare for a home-and-home with Saskatchewan. The Cougars and Huskies will meet on Friday night in Regina beginning at 6:00 PM before playing the rematch on Saturday in Saskatoon.