CALGARY - The University of Calgary Dinos dominated the Brandon Bobcats in women's basketball action at the Jack Simpson Gymnasium when they defeated the visitors 73-53 on Nov. 29.
The Dinos now improve to 8-2, having won eight straight to end the first half of the season. The Bobcats drop to 2-8.
Four Dinos hit double digits on the night, including Ashley Hirons who had a team-high 15 points, all coming from three pointers. Point guard Kristie Sheils scored another 14 for Calgary. Forward Lawrie Saunders sunk ten points on the night and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds, while rookie Aimee Wilson scored ten of her own. She had seven rebounds.
Once again, Cassie Cooke took control for the Bobcats as she scored a game-high 29 points, scoring more than half of Brandon's points in the game all on her own. Teammate Stephanie Haynes grabbed a game-high eight rebounds to match Saunders.
Calgary got off to a hot start to being the game, going up 12-5 early on. From there, both offences were stalled midway through the opening quarter. The Dinos got back on the board first going on a 10-2 to end the first. It was Hirons that sunk a three-pointer to end the quarter and put Calgary up 20-8.
Four minutes into the second, a quick four points from rookie Wilson helped the Dinos extend their lead to 17. Hirons scored another two three's to push her points total to nine and Brandon's Cookie already had 14 points on the night. Calgary headed into the second half up 39-25.
In the third, things didn't get much better for the visiting Bobcats. Making just two of 15 shots from beyond the three-point line, Brandon let the lead continue to slip away from them. Sheils and Saunders both had scored ten points at the end of the third and the Dinos were up 57-38.
The final quarter saw the Dinos gain a lead of 20 points to start, but 8-0 by the Bobcats forced head coach Damian Jennings to call a timeout to stop the bleeding. Snapping out of it, the Dinos went on to win their eighth game in a row 73-53.
In the new year, the Dinos will face the UNBC Timberwolves on January 9th and then head back to Calgary to face the Mount Royal Cougars., The Bobcats will host the Thompson Rivers WolfPack and the UBC Okanagan Heat.
