EDMONTON – After an ice-cold first half, the #8 University of Calgary Dinos women's basketball team used a furious second-half comeback effort but fell just short in a 65-59 loss to #5 Alberta in the U SPORTS Consolation Semifinals Friday night at the Saville Centre.

After scoring just 16 points the entire first half and trailing by as many as 18, the Dinos used a quick 8-0 run to start the second half and forced a tight game the rest of the way before coming up just short in the end.

Louise Rouse helped carry the Dinos early and finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Myriam Kone provided a big spark in the comeback effort and finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Pollyanna Storie - who missed the last month due to injury - made a succesful return to the court for nationals, hitting a number of big shots and finishing with nine points and six rebounds. Amélie Collin also had a nice night, finishing with five points, eight boards and three assists.

Jenna Harpe, Claire Signatovich, and Jayden Tanner combined for 48 points for the Pandas.

Alberta heads to the Consolation Finals for 5th place overall against the Saint Mary's Huskies at 3PM MST.

The first half proved to be a forgetable one for the Dinos for the second straight night, finishing the first 20 minutes with just 16 points on 5-28 shooting, trailing by as many as 18 points along the way.

However, also like their previous game, Calgary played strong out of the break. Two quick threes and a jumper had the Dinos cruising, forcing an early Pandas timeout with an 8-0 run that cut their lead to nine. They would maintain the intensity the rest of the way, but two quick baskets from Reece Hall at the three-minute mark helped Alberta escape with a 45-36 lead. The story was Storie – Pollyanna that is – as she led all scorers with six points for the re-inspired Dinos.

The final frame got off to a voracious start, with Rouse forcing a turnover and potting a quick layup to get the Calgary faithful loud early. However, Tanner would respond with a steal and a three to get the Pandas back the momentum.

And while the margin was 10 for much of the quarter, the fourth had the feel of a next-basket-wins championship final, with the Saville Competition Gym reaching decibels that would likely be heard across the North Saskatchewan.

A rare break was afforded the squads when the shot clock went temporarily down with two minutes to go, meaning a supercharged final stretch with Alberta up seven. Kone brought the Dinos to as close as four down with a four-point play and then another three in the last minute but Harpe, who was sent to the line eight times in the last quarter, nailed all intentional free throws to take the Pandas to the end.

"We'll hold on to that second half for a little while, for sure," Dinos head coach Damian Jennings said. "We are dutifully frustrated with the erratic nature of some of our play, but it is where we are. We are proud of that second half and the fight and the doggedness and the belief that led to getting those stops and scores. I'm proud of them and hopefully we can take that into the offseason and 2024-25."

The Dinos have now qualified for the U SPORTS Final 8 each of the past two seasons and are set to graduate zero players following this year.

"I really enjoyed this group. It was just a pleasure and a privilege to work with them," Jennings said. "There are many in this group that just watched nationals in Cape Breton and this time really got to experience the national tournament. We've banked some experience and now we have got to buckle down in the offseason and see who comes out on the other end. It is exciting to not graduate anyone. There is a connection and a connectivity with this group that's exciting and I'm looking forward to it."

Players of the Game
Alberta #13 Claire Signatovich
Calgary: #1 Myriam Kone

-UC-