SASKATOON, Sask. - In a pivotal rivalry matchup with strong playoff implications, the Saskatchewan Huskies erased an 11 point first half deficit to complete the comeback and defeat the Regina Cougars by a final score of 78-72 Saturday night (Feb 8) on Ron and Jane Graham Centre Court.
Having now beaten Regina on back-to-back nights, the result marks the Huskies fourth straight win and improves their record to 5-13 on the season. Meanwhile, the Cougars loss is their seventh in a row and drops their record to 6-12.
The weekend sweep could not have been more important for the Dogs as they inch closer to Regina in the standings and now sit one spot behind the Cougars for the 7th and final playoff spot in the Canada West Prairie Division.
The game exploded for the Dogs in the third quarter as Saskatchewan outscored Regina 28-6 in the penultimate frame thanks to a flurry of three-balls that saw the Huskies convert 80 percent of third quarter attempts from beyond the arc and sending an all-time record 3,058 Huskie fans into a frenzy. The Huskies were hot all night from distance as their 58 percent three point shooting percentage was their second highest mark of the season.
Freddy Kapinga earned the Dogs' majority share of long balls in the third quarter as the Calgary, AB product knocked down two of his three point attempts in the frame, while Owen Murphy-Wiebe and
Griffin Sharkey chipped in with one each.
In addition to the long ball, Kapinga enjoyed a well-rounded performance, going 4-9 from the field while adding four rebounds, three assists and two steals to his 15 point night.
Not to be outdone,
Easton Thimm once again shined for the Dogs as the local Saskatoon native picked up his 11th double-double of the season on the back of a 21 point, 13 rebound night. The 6 foot 9 guard also added two blocks and one steal to round out his stat sheet.
For Regina, the Cougars were led by veteran guards Ben Kamba and Jordan Persad who contributed with 22 and 20 points, respectively. Kamba's point total outpaced all shooters in the game while the Kinesiology student supplemented his stat line with four rebounds and four assists. For Persad, his 20 points match his season-high, meanwhile his defensive presence was felt by the Huskies all game as his three steals were a game-high.
As the Canada West regular season approaches its final weekend, the matchups will loom large for the intraprovincial rivals as both squads fight to extend their seasons.
Saskatchewan will travel to Brandon for a key matchup against the 5-13 Bobcats who have struggled as of late, winning only two of their last eight games since returning from the mid-season break. Currently, the Huskies and Bobcats sit outside the playoffs in a tie for 8th place in the Prairie division.
For Regina, the Cougs will be in tough on home court as they welcome the 14-4 Calgary Dinos, who have won seven of their last ten and have only lost twice on the road this season.
