CALGARY, Alta. – The UBCO Heat women's basketball team extended its preseason win streak to six games with a three-game sweep at the Calgary Cup.
Game 1: Friday, Oct. 2 - UBCO Heat 58 - Calgary Dinos - 52
The Heat opened the Calgary Cup with a statement, earning a six-point win over the host Calgary Dinos, the defending Canada West champions. After a strong first half up 38-30, UBCO faced a bit of adversity as they gave up their lead in the third quarter after being outscored 15-5. The Heat locked down the fourth, holding the Dinos to just seven points while Kanani Coon took over, scoring seven of the team's 15 points along with four rebounds to help seal the win. Tennyson McCarthy had herself a night as well, recording a double-double with 10 points and 13 of UBCO's 56 rebounds, while Tsuki Tsuzuki also matched her with 10 points on the night.
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 3 - UBCO Heat 71 - Windsor Lancers - 56
Saturday brought another test in the Windsor Lancers, a team that held spots in the U SPORTS Top 10 multiple times last season and is expected to be a contender once again. The Heat trailed by as many as five in the opening frame and sat two points back after the first 10 minutes, but a pair of Shae Sandhu three-pointers to open the second put them in front. The Heat then went 6-for-9 from beyond the arc in the frame while holding the Lancers to 4-for-19 shooting, winning the quarter 24-10 to carry a commanding 41-29 lead into halftime. Kanani Coon led the way once again with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Lily Pink filled the stat sheet with 13 points on 6-for-8 shooting, five assists, five steals, and two blocks. Tsuzuki was reliable with 12 points and a team-high six assists, while UBCO dominated inside, outscoring Windsor 42-22 in the paint, and their defence limited the Lancers to 27.5 per cent from the field.
Game 3: Sunday, Oct. 4 - UBCO Heat 83 - Acadia Axewomen - 59
Meeting the Axewomen for the second time in three weeks, the Heat delivered a near-identical result, this time winning handily by 24. UBCO caught fire early, by hitting seven of their eight three-point attempts in the first quarter to build a 27-12 advantage. Acadia cut into the deficit in the second, but UBCO never trailed after the opening minutes and closed the game with a 23-13 fourth quarter. Coon was nearly unstoppable, finishing the weekend by pouring in a game-high 29 points on 10-for-13 shooting, including an incredible 7-for-8 from beyond the arc. Sydney Lewis recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Temi Aina added 12 points off the bench without a single miss, going 3-for-3 from the field and 6-for-6 at the free-throw line. The Heat shot 50 per cent from three-point range as a team and turned 21 Axewomen turnovers into 27 points, sealing an impressive sixth consecutive road exhibition victory.
