Bisons rumble past Pronghorns
There’s no such thing as a good 0-2 weekend in university basketball circles, but this is one that the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns women’s team can take as a learning experience.
The Pronghorns were defeated 82-59 by the Manitoba Bisons during Canada West play Saturday night in Winnipeg.
The loss comes one night after the Bisons topped the Horns 87-73 Friday to hand Lethbridge their first 0-2 weekend of the season that puts the Pronghorns at 10-4 on the season and into a threeway tie for third place with the Trinity West Spartans (10-2) and the 10-4 Winnipeg Wesmen.
On the men’s side, the Pronghorns got the same result in Winnipeg, losing 91-67 to the Bison Saturday following a 94-84 setback Friday for a winless weekend that also puts the team at 10-4.
In the women’s game Saturday, a few Bisons offensive outbursts proved too much for the Horns to rein in.
“I think defensively it was disappointing,” said Pronghorns assistant coach Dave Waknuk. “We got off to the start we wanted, but this is a team that can score in bunches and they did that all weekend on us. They got rolling in bunches and we just couldn’t stop it. I think it’s a good test for us because as we go forward we’re going to have more tests like that with having to stop offences that are that talented. I think we just have to learn from it and move on.”
The Pronghorns went on a run to start the second half, pulling within two points in the third, but the Bisons distanced themselves from their opponents to lead by 20 at the end of the quarter.
Pronghorns guard Zoe Dahl led the team in scoring for the second night in a row, putting up 15 points, while Katie Keith added eight and added 14 rebounds.
It was Keith's first game back after missing the final four games of the first semester due to injury.
Jessica Zarowny added 10 points and eight rebounds for the Pronghorns.
In the men’s game, the Pronghorns — who only dressed eight players for the second night in a row — found themselves down 31-18 after the first quarter.
The Bisons went on to win every quarter
Pronghorns fourth-year guard Zac Overwater led the team with 25 points and 11 rebounds, while Colton Gibb had 12 points and Brett Warren added 10. Overwater also had four assists.
The Horns leading scorer from Friday night, Saren Westrop, was ejected from Saturday's game in the third quarter after getting an unsportsmanlike and a technical foul.
The Bisons are also at 10-4, having won their last five games.
With their semester-opening road trip behind them, the Horns will see plenty of their 1st Choice Savings Centre home court for the remainder of the regular season with five of their last six games at home.
That starts this weekend when the Pronghorns welcome the UBC Thunderbirds to town Friday and Saturday.
“We got home now for five of our last six games for the regular season,” said Waknuk. “So it’ll be nice to get off the road. We’ve been playing well in Lethbridge and we know we have tough opponents over the next few weeks. But going back home will be good for us and going back to work. We’d like to think it was going to be perfect all year through, but it’s not going to be. Now we know exactly what we have to work on and get better for next week.”
On the women’s side, the Thunderbirds are in 12th place at 4-8, while the men’s side, 10-2 UBC joins the Pronghorns and the Bisons in a tie for second place.
The 11-1 Alberta Golden Bears sit in first place by two points.
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