OTTAWA – A back-and-forth affair came down to the wire as the University of Calgary Dinos dropped their national quarter-final 72-71 to the Brock Badgers Thursday at TD Place.
The loss moves the Dinos to the consolation side of the bracket, where they will take on Ryerson in a semifinal Friday at 1 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. MT. CBCSports.ca will have live streaming coverage.
The Dinos led by as many as five in the fourth quarter after trailing by double-digits late in the opening half. A surge late in the second quarter brought the Dinos within four points at halftime, and they took a fourth-quarter lead but ultimately couldn't hang on.
"You've got to be in these close games a number of times during the year to get the experience," said Dinos head coach
Damian Jennings. "We came back from 10 points down, but we were zero for five from the free throw line at half time. We hit them hard at the beginning I thought, but they came back and hit some big shots. It's a single play that could be the difference in a 72-71 loss…it's tough."
"We have to separate the feelings from right now, and what we thought we were going to accomplish to refocus and reset," said fifth-year Dino
Erin McIntosh. "I think that if anything, we are a team that can respond."
Liene Stalidzane led the way for the Dinos with 18 points, while
Bobbi-Jo Colburn chipped in with 13 and McIntosh 10.
A trio of Badgers hit double digits, led by Samantha Keltos' 24 points along with 20 from Jessica Morris, who hit five triples in the opening half. Melissa Tatti, the Ontario MVP, chipped in with 17 points, including the game-winning lay-up with 25 seconds to play.
The Dinos had an opportunity for the last shot, but Colburn's lay-up in the final seconds rimmed out.
Brock shot 40.9 per cent from the field and 41.7 per cent from three, compared to the Calgary's 37 per cent shooting and 34.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Nike Top Performers
Brock: Samantha Keltos
Calgary:
Liene Stalidzane
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