VANCOUVER – One night after UBC ended the University of Calgary Dinos women's basketball team's eight-game win streak, the Dinos returned the favour with a convincing 83-67 win to put an end to the Thunderbirds' 13-game win streak in the regular season finale Saturday night from the War Memorial Gym.

The Dinos got hot from behind the arc early and cruised to the win, finishing the conference slate with at 16-4 ledger. UBC falls to 17-3 after suffering their first home loss during the regular season.

Both teams will now get a bye into the first day of the Canada West playoffs.

Emily Martindale and Hailey Counsell made their presence felt on a special night as they closed out their T-Birds' careers and were honored postgame as graduating seniors. Martindale finished the game with nine points, four assists, and three rebounds, while Counsell scored 11 points, shooting three of seven from beyond the arc.

The Dinos' starting five of Mya Proctor, Myriam Kone, Amelie Collin, Lilia Skumatova, and Louise Rouse all finished in double-digits in scoring. The visitors shot 51.9 percent (14-27) from beyond the arc on the night.

Rouse and Collin were off to a hot start, getting a three from the corner and a layup off the pick and roll action early. Olivia Weekes and Counsell were able to respond with back-to-back scores on the inside, but Skumatova's back-to-back threes put the Dinos in the driving seat early with a 13-4 lead.

The Dinos were aggressive - penetrating the paint, getting defenders off their feet and finding open shooters on the outside. As a team, they were four of eight from beyond the arc in the opening quarter alone, leading 24-16 at the end of the first.

An 8-0 run sparked by Martindale gave the 'Birds some hope to start the second, as she knocked a triple followed by a floater from Bergman and a three from Counsell, but the Dinos answered. Kone was able to knock a three down 35 feet away from the basket, as Proctor added a three of her own to the scoring tally.

The Dinos extended their run to 13-5 and regained the lead, 38-29. They did not slow down, as the barrage of threes continued to hurt the 'Birds, Kone and Skumatova remained hot near the end of the second, knocking down shots from downtown.

The Thunderbirds remained resilient, ending the second quarter with a 9-0 run in the final two minutes to cut Calgary's lead to just 44-38 at the half.

The name of the game was 'runs.' The Dinos came back hot on both ends to start the third. Three consecutive turnovers by the Thunderbirds and missed opportunities ignited the Dinos' 13-2 run. Kone and Proctor knocked down shots from beyond the arc once again.

Trailing 62-41 late in the third, the Thunderbirds tried to claw their way back. After giving up six turnovers, the 'Birds attempted to find their way back into the game after Counsell hit a big-time triple and followed that with a strip off on the defensive end, setting up Weekes for a layup, as Counsell found the bottom of the net from downtown once again.

That run brought the Thunderbirds within 13, as they trailed 62-49 at the end of the third quarter.

That defensive momentum continued into the final quarter. The 'Birds forced four Dinos' turnovers and the rookie Maddy Billings knocked down a much-needed three-pointer to bring the home team within 10 at 67-57.

But the hill was too steep to climb, as the Dinos continued to bleed the clock out and coast to another lopsided win.

Proctor and Rouse tied for a team-high 16 points to lead all players in this one, with Proctor hitting a career-high four triples on just six attempts.

Up next, both teams will head to the Canada West playoffs, as the Thunderbirds and the Dinos will travel to the University of Fraser Valley on February 21st in Abbotsford, BC.
 
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