CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos saved their best quarter for last in Game 2 of the Canada West quarter-final against the Thompson Rivers WolfPack, as they swept the series with a 76-68 win Friday night. 

With the win, Calgary will host the Canada West Final Four for the second straight year as they look to repeat as conference champions. They will take on the Manitoba Bisons, who upset No. 2 UBC on the road in Vancouver, Friday night at 8 p.m. MT, with the winner advancing to the U SPORTS Final 8 in Halifax.

The Dinos got off to a strong start, taking a 16-8 lead midway through the first quarter, but TRU wasn't fazed, outscoring the Dinos 14-2 the rest of the way, capped off with a Mike Roualt three behind half court as time ran out. 

With TRU up 22-18 going into the second, the two teams traded the lead several times and it was 41-all at halftime. 

The visiting team continued to hit from the outside, while the Dinos struggled against their zone, as the Wolfpack went on a 5-0 run to start the third. Calgary cut it to three points going into the fourth and that's when the team put together their most complete stretch of the series. 

Mambi Diawara scored six straight points, but TRU kept it close as the Dinos made their run, taking their first lead since midway through the third quarter at 67-66. TRU would make a score to go back up one with 2:30 remaining, but then Calgary's defense stepped for good. 

Mitch Ligertwood would make three free throws and then a Jhony Verrone layup made it 74-68 with 56 seconds left in the fourth. Calgary would get two more stops and Thomas Cooper would ice the game with two more free throws for the eight-point win. 

Cooper finished one rebound shy of another double-double, ending with 26 points and nine rebounds.  Jhony Verrone did have double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Diawara had a strong game off the bench with 15 points. 

TRU's all-star Volodymyr Iegorov had another great game as he ended his career, with 20 points and 11 rebounds. 

Derek Rhodes was the only other TRU player in double-figures with 11. Despite TRU's strong shooting for most of the game, they only got to the free-throw line five times, hitting two, whereas Calgary was 12-18 and outrebounded them 47-34. 

The Canada West Final Four will go Friday-Saturday, March 3-4 in the Jack Simpson Gym. Saskatchewan will face the winner of Alberta and Lethbridge in the first semifinal at 3 p.m. MT, followed by the Dinos taking on Manitoba at 8 p.m. MT.

-UC-