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The Brandon University Bobcats just may be the best winless team in the country. With an 0-5 record in GPAC conference games, the Bobcats Womenıs basketball team traveled to Regina to face the 4-1 Cougars Womenıs squad, ranked #2 in the CIAU. After having their 8-game winning streak snapped the previous weekend by the U of Winnipeg Wesmen, the Cougs were anxious to get back on the winning track, and a visit from the last-place Bobcats seemed to be just what was needed to accomplish that. The Cougars managed to win both games against Brandon, but the Bobcats forced the Cougs to work hard for both wins by playing strong defense and keeping the Cougars out of synch for much of the weekend. Friday night, the Cougars jumped out to a 32-16 half-time lead and pulled away to a 55-38 final. Medorann Harris led Regina with 18 points and 18 rebounds. Sabina Sormova led Brandon scorers with 14 points. Saturday night's contest was a much tighter affair. The Bobcats established a 15-8 lead halfway through | the first half, and took a 26-25 lead into the locker room at half-time lead and pulled away to a 55-38 final.
The game remained close throughout the second half, and with 1:30 remaining, Sormova hit a clutch three pointer to give Brandon a four point lead.Fifth year guard Trena Mott answered back for Regina, icing a three pointer of her own that brought the Cougs back to within one point with one minute remaining. Then, with 40 seconds left, Mott hit one of two free throws to tie the game at 45-45. The Cougs pulled away to a 58-54 win in overtime. Mott led Regina scorers with 14 points, with Wersta chipping in 12 points. After Saturday's contest, Cougar head | coach Christine Stapleton was relieved to have survived the weekend with two victories. "[Brandon] is a very tough team. In any other conference in the country, Brandon would be one or two," commented Stapleton. Stapleton was somewhat disappointed with her team's effort. "I don't think we executed as good as we have to. We're out of synch, but we're finding a way to win," Stapleton said, noting that her bench - especially Howie and Krista Fowler - made clutch plays for her late in the contest. Don Thomson, Brandon Coach, noted that it can be frustrating competing in the nation's toughest conference (3 of the 4 GPAC teams were ranked in the top-10 in the January 14th ranking) but is satisfied with the performance of his team. "We're competitive day in-day out. Our kids have a lot of heart, that's what we're happy with," Thomson said. The sweep leaves the Cougars at 6-1 in conference games (18-3 overall), good for first place in GPAC. Meanwhile, the Bobcats fell to 0-7, and seem destined to miss the GPAC playoffs for the third time in four seasons. |