EDMONTON - With the first ever Alberta Cup on the line, the University of Calgary Dinos narrowly edged the University of Alberta Pandas basketball team 69-61, Saturday night at the Saville Community Sports Centre. 

Graduating player Megan Wickstrom led the Pandas with 15 points, while fifth-year guard Kristie Sheils had a game-high 26 points for the visiting Dinos. 

Both sides opened the contest slow, with the Dinos pulling ahead by a narrow 9-4 lead. Anmol Mattu led the Dino charge, putting up a quick five points in the opening quarter. Alberta would respond, dropping in three straight field goals, taking a slight 10-9 lead. The Dinos, however, based off a large advantage in shooting percentage, would roll off six straight points of their own, closing the first quarter up 15-11. 

The visitors picked up right where they left off, going up 23-11 early in the second quarter. Mattu, along with Emily Morles paced the Dinos with seven points each. Alberta continued to struggle shooting, as Elle Hendershot led the Pandas with seven points on just 3-8 shooting after the first half. Despite a much better second quarter by the home squad, the CIS No. 6 Pandas would still trail 32-24 after 20 minutes.

Sheils started to take control of the game in the second half, with 15 points halfway through the third quarter. The Dinos started to play with a up-tempo, and highly aggressive offence in the third quater, causing the Pandas countless problems. Both Jessilyn Fairbanks and Maddie Rogers started to get into foul trouble in the third quarter, as both veterans had four fouls. Calgary quickly took advantage, going up by 13 after the third, based off Sheils 21 points.

The Pandas started the fourth quarter with serious determination, as a Renee Byrne contested layup cutting the Dino lead to just nine. However, the Dinos offence was just too much for Alberta to handle, answering every Panda run. Alberta cut the Dino lead down to just three with less than one minute to play, but five Calgary free-throws sealed the eight point win. 

With the win, the Dinos finish the regular season with a solid 15-5 record. The record places them in fourth in the final standings and they will earn a first-round bye in the playoffs. The Dinos will head to Regina, Sask. to take on the Cougars in the Canada West quarterfinals, March 4-6.