Kamloops, B.C. – Wrapping up pre-season action, the UBCO Heat women's basketball team split its two games, extending its win streak to seven with a 68-61 win over the Mount Royal Cougars before falling to the Alberta Pandas the next day.
Game 1: Friday, Oct. 16 - UBCO Heat 68 - Mount Royal Cougars - 61
Facing a three-point deficit after the first quarter, the Heat leaned on their inside game to pull away for a 68-61 win over the Cougars. Mount Royal led by as many as seven in the opening frame, but a Shae Sandhu layup midway through the second gave the Heat their first lead, and back-to-back buckets from Kanani Coon sparked a run that sent them into halftime up 32-29. UBCO never trailed again, winning the third quarter 21-18 and closing out the game in the fourth. The Heat answered the early adversity with a balanced effort, as five players reached double figures. Sydney Lewis led the way with 13 points, seven rebounds, three blocks and three steals, while Lily Pink and Tennyson McCarthy each added 12, with McCarthy pulling down a team-high nine boards. Coon chipped in 11, and Kiana Kaczur stepped up with 10 points and seven rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench. Despite going just 2-for-19 from beyond the arc, the Heat won the battle in the paint 42-36, outrebounded the Cougars 46-41, and shot 85.7 per cent from the free-throw line.
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 17 - UBCO Heat 40 - Alberta Pandas - 87
Saturday's matchup with the Pandas proved a tough test, as the Heat's seven-game win streak came to an end in an 87-40 loss. UBCO opened strong, jumping out to a 7-3 lead and sitting tied at 12 late in the first quarter before Alberta closed the frame on an 11-2 run. Turnovers proved costly, as the Pandas forced 34 and turned them into 26 points, extending their lead to 45-25 by halftime while holding the Heat to three points in the third quarter. Lewis was a bright spot, leading UBCO with 15 points on an efficient 7-for-10 shooting performance to go along with seven rebounds, while Pink pulled down a team-high nine boards. The Heat also held their own on the glass, with Alberta holding a slight 43-40 edge in total rebounds.
