The University of Saskatchewan Huskies and UBC Thunderbirds went head-to-head at the Canada West (CW) championships Saturday night in Saskatoon. Both teams entered the matchup with identical 18-2 records, but it was the Huskies who came out on top with a 71–59 victory.
It marked the T-Birds’ first time at the CW championships since 2015, when they defeated the Huskies 69–68 on home turf.
Both teams are known for their aggressive defensive pressure, but the Huskies have the country’s top defence in terms of points allowed. The Thunderbirds started strong with Keira Daly, CW women’s basketball Rookie of the Year, leading the team with 15 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals. Jessica Clarke contributed 12 points and 4 rebounds, while Mona Berlitz added 9 points and 3 rebounds. However, they couldn’t stop Player of the Year Gage Grassick, who led the court with 31 points.
Out of the gate, the Thunderbirds looked strong, making smart plays and dominating possession. Sara Toneguzzi scored the opening basket, helping UBC secure an early 5–0 lead. Both teams got lots of looks, but the Huskies struggled to find their rhythm early on. UBC maintained pressure while picking up the pace, and finished the first quarter with an 18–13 lead.
Things started to heat up in the second quarter, as the battle for possession intensified. The Huskies capitalized after winning a contested ball fight in the T-Birds zone, with three players hitting the floor, and scored to gain momentum. The home-court advantage kicked in, the crowd of 2,475 getting on their feet, as the Huskies made a comeback. The teams were on track to be tied at half, but in the final two seconds, Clarke earned two free throws, sneaking UBC the lead.
The Thunderbirds couldn’t maintain their lead, as early into the second half, Andrea Dodig shot behind the arc and gave the Huskies their first lead of the game at 40–39. Halfway through the third quarter, the Huskies increased their lead to six. While Daly scored UBC a three-pointer, Grassick responded with a three of her own. From there, Saskatchewan gained momentum and surged to a double-digit lead, 60–48, a signature of their strong third-quarter performances.
UBC needed to turn it around in the fourth, hoping to regain the early offensive rhythm they had, but were unable to find it. Olivia Weekes provided strong defence under the hoop in the final minutes, fending off the Huskies’ attempts to extend their lead further. With just over two minutes left, UBC called a timeout to regroup. While their trademark pressure returned in the closing moments, they couldn’t close the deficit, taking home a CW silver medal with a final score of 71–59.
Both teams will play in Vancouver at the U Sports Final 8 national championship, March 13–16. The Thunderbirds will play in the quarterfinal on March 13 at 6 p.m. at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre against Saint Mary’s University.
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