REGINA – A clutch three-point shot late by
Erin McIntosh was the difference maker in a 17-point fourth quarter for the University of Calgary Dinos as they came from behind to beat the McMaster Marauders 60-52 to book a ticket in Saturday's consolation final at the 2018 U SPORTS Women's Basketball Final 8.
"We have some people who are sick, some people who are injured, so we wanted to make sure we play it out for them," stated McIntosh after the win. "This team deserves so much, so we want to give it as much as we can to carry us forward into next year."
Liene Stalidzane and
Brianna Ghali both had 13 points while Bobbi-Jo Colburn added 12. McIntosh and
Michaela Nieuwenhuizen chipped in with nine points apiece.
Hilary Hanaka was dynamite for McMaster, pouring in five three pointers and 27 points on the night.
The Marauders carried a 35-29 lead into halftime after forcing 13 Dino turnovers in the first 20 minutes.
Hanaka came out red hot for McMaster, as the veteran guard drilled three triples on her way to 17 points, four rebounds and two helpers at the halftime break.
"She is a great shooter, we got out on her shots and let the scout breakdown so many times that she was wide open," explained McIntosh. "She is super talented, but we definitely should have been able to handle it better."
Colburn paced the Dinos in the opening half, with one three pointer and 11 points on just six shots off the bench.
The margin remained at six points after the third quarter, but a Nieuwenhuizen putback with 6:28 to play evened the score at 49 and a layup by McIntosh 30 seconds later gave Calgary its first lead since the first quarter.
"It's in our DNA that we are a tenacious and mentally tough team, and we did a much better job of managing our errors in the second half," said Dinos head coach
Damian Jennings. "For how well coached a team they are and how excellent they played, for us to manage that moment and find a way with a different combination of players - I'm very proud and very impressed with my team."
Hanaka knocked down another long ball to put McMaster up, but a Colburn free throw pulled Calgary back even. Calgary broke the 52-52 tie with 1:28 remaining, with McIntosh knocking down her first three of the evening as the shot clock expired to cap off a wild possession. Another Calgary stop gave the Dinos a chance to take a two-possession lead, and a rebound and layup from Nieuwenhuizen put the Dinos up 57-52. Hanaka had a three pointer rim out with 25 seconds left, and Calgary put the game away from the free throw line.
"You could hear everyone counting down '3-2-1' you know you got to shoot it. I tried to stay calm and keep it as much as possible like practice," said McIntosh when asked about her big shot.
The Dinos will now face either the Acadia Axewomen or Laval Rouge et Or for an 10 a.m. MT tip off at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport in Regina.
