EDMONTON, AB – Opening the 2023-24 season with a loss on Friday, the Saskatchewan Huskies looked to bounce back against the Alberta Golden Bears on Saturday night in Edmonton at the Saville Sports Centre. 
 
In a thrilling finish on Saturday night, the Huskies nabbed their first win of the season with an 82-79 victory over the Alberta Golden Bears, splitting their season opener series 1-1. 
 
The first quarter saw the Huskies jump out with a commanding 25-13 lead, forcing the Golden Bears to retaliate, taking the second quarter 24-16. Halftime had the Huskies with the 41-37 lead. The Golden Bears dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Huskies 24-16. Saskatchewan would rally back, taking the fourth quarter 24-12 and securing the 82-79 win. 
 
The star of the show was Alexander Dewar. The fifth year from Saskatoon lead all scorers with 30 points on the evening. He added four rebounds, two steals and was 6-for7 from the free throw line. First year Easton Thimm impressed in his second outing as a Huskie, leading the team in rebounds with nine, putting up five points and going 4-for-5 from the free throw line. 
 
The Golden Bears had a well-balanced attack from Brandon Meiklejohn and Lars Ishimwe. Meiklejohn had 29 points, two rebounds, and a steal for the Golden Bears, while Ishimwe threw up 20 points, seven rebounds, and two steals. 
 
Saskatchewan's bench dominated Alberta, with 37 points from the Huskies bench, compared to just five from the Golden Bears. The Huskies also capitalized on turnovers, scoring 24 points off turnovers, with Alberta having just eight.
 
NEXT UP
Ron & Jane Graham Centre Court at the Physical Activity Complex will play host to the men's basketball home openers on November 10 & 11. Friday night will see the team hit the court at 8:00 PM, with Saturday's game scheduled for 7:00 PM against the MacEwan Griffins. 
 
Fans are encouraged to get their tickets early at HuskieTickets.com. Stream all Huskie basketball games from the comfort of your home at CanadaWest.TV.