EDMONTON – Outscoring the visitors 17-4 in the fourth quarter, the Alberta Pandas erased an 11-point second half deficit, earning a 66-59 win over the Calgary Dinos on Sunday afternoon at Saville Community Sports Centre.
The Dinos held a lead for 27 minutes on Sunday, with the Pandas finally taking hold of the lead, and never relinquishing it midway through the fourth.
Emma Kary paced the Pandas with a team-high 15 points on 6-11 shooting, with Claire Signatovich adding 10 points and seven boards, and Rylee Semeniuk also adding 10.
Pollyanna Storie scored a game-high 18 for the Dinos, which included 3-6 shooting from beyond the arc.
Veronika Lavergne added 16 for Calgary on 6-9 shooting.
The win in the regular season finale clinches the No. 2 seed for the Pandas entering the conference playoffs with a 14-2 record, while Calgary finishes at 7-9, and in the No. 8 seed.
Both teams exchanged buckets throughout the first quarter, with the Dinos holding the lead for the entire quarter until a last second shot gave the Pandas a 19-18 lead.
The Pandas offence, however, almost completely dried up in the second half, as they mustered just 12 points on 5-18 shooting. By comparison, the Dinos shot 6-11, sparked by an 8-0 run midway through the quarter to push the Dinos ahead by as many as 11.
Storie led the visitors with 14 points at the half, with Lavergne adding 10, as Calgary held a 35-31 lead after 20 minutes.
The Dinos extended their lead to as much as 11 in the third, holding the Pandas to just five made shots in the quarter. Pandas head coach Scott Edwards was also given two technical fouls in the span of 30 seconds, receiving his first ejection of the season.
The ejection seemed to spark the Pandas, who completely dominated the fourth quarter. A 12-2 Alberta run gave the Pandas their first lead since early in the first, as Alberta made eight of their 13 shots.
The Dinos, looking to respond, didn't score over the final three minutes of the fourth.
The Canada West playoff basketball tournament will begin next weekend, with the Calgary Dinos and Mount Royal Cougars hosting the bracket-style format.
