CALGARY - The No. 4-ranked University of Calgary Dinos started slow, but MVP candidate Thomas Cooper picked his team up as the team came back for a 115-91 rout of the Regina Cougars Thursday night. With a capacity crowd for Pack the Jack Night and following an overtime thriller in the women's game, Cooper started the game with a breakaway dunk after the opening tip.
But the Cougars would take control and got the Dinos on their heels, taking a 24-13 lead and causing head coach Dan Vanhooren to call a timeout. "Basically he told us if we want to accomplish what we want to accomplish we need to step it up and not let this game get out of hand," Cooper said. "So we manned up and we got stops and we were able to get some scores and get out of transition."
Calgary would respond led by Cooper, who scored 16 in the quarter as the team trailed going into the second 31-29.
Cooper would continue his strong play, getting to the line, finishing the half with 24 points and 10-11 from the free-throw line.
Lars Schlueter was perfect from the field in the first half, going 4-4 with 12 points and Calgary would take a 51-47 lead going into the second half. In the third, the Dinos imposed their will, continually getting to the rim and put up 34 points in the frame, while holding the Cougars to 21 for the 85-68 lead going into the fourth.
Calgary would cruise to the 24-point win and Cooper would end with 42 points, the most since Dinos Hall of Famer Richard Bohne scored 46 in November of 1995.
Schlueter would finish with 23 points, joined by Jhony Verrone and David Kapinga in double-digits with 10 and 13 points respectively. "When Lars is consistent hitting three balls like he his and Josh Owen-Thomas is hitting them, it's almost contagious," Cooper said. "Everybody starts hitting them." Regina would be led by fifth-year guard Jonathan Tull once again, ending the game with 19 points and five rebounds, with three other Cougars hitting double-figures.
Despite leading the first quarter in rebounding by a big 17-5 margin, the Dinos would clean up the glass and ended up winning the board battle 52-45.
Calgary also continued their league-best three-point defense, as the Cougars shot just 7-26 from downtown.
Now on an 11-game winning streak, if the Dinos complete the sweep on Seniors Night, they will clinch first in the Pioneer Division and home court in the playoffs.
"Pack the Jack was amazing," Cooper added. "I think we are all really thankful for it, it was fun and I can't wait to do it again next year."
