Edmonton - The No.6 ranked University of Alberta Pandas’ basketball team used a strong third quarter to hold off the Lethbridge Pronghorns by a final score of 87-83 Saturday night at the Saville Community Sport Centre in Edmonton.

Fourth-year guard Nicole Clarke scored a team high 21 points to lead Alberta while Anneka Bakker added 12 and six rebounds. Saskia Van Ginhoven finished the game with 10 points and eight boards, while guard Katie Arbuthnot chipped in with 11 points.

The Pronghorns were led by a game high 27 points from Lauren Taal, while Kim Veldman notched a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Ali Cameron and Morgan Cross came off the bench to score 12 and 10 points respectively for Lethbridge in a losing effort.

With the win, Alberta improves to 9-3 and increases their hold on second place ahead of 7-4 Saskatchewan. The Regina Cougars continue to lead the Prairie Division, and Canada West, with a perfect 11-0 record. Lethbridge, meanwhile, falls to 2-10 on the season.

The Pronghorns were determined to give the Pandas a battle right from the beginning on Saturday, opening the contest with a decent lead and staying tight throughout the game. Only an 11-3 run, highlighted by back-to-back three-pointers by Sarah Binns, by the Pandas in the first quarter allowed Alberta to take control of the game, but after 10 minutes the teams were deadlocked at 22.

By halftime Alberta had earned a slim one point lead, 43-42, and Clarke had already banked 12 points while Taal had earned 14.

It was the third quarter, however, that made the difference as the Pandas got some clutch secondary scoring and timely defence. Guard Jill Verhesen, primarily a ball handler and not a scorer, chipped in with six points in the third frame, while Van Ginhoven added five points and four rebounds. Alberta went into the fourth quarter with a six point lead, one of their biggest advantages since the first quarter.

Clarke put back five points in the fourth, and Alberta corralled eight rebounds, including five in the defensive zone, to secure the win.

The Pandas remain at home next weekend as they host the 5-7 Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack on Friday night at the Saville Community Sport Centre, and then the 2-8 UBC-Okanagan Heat on Saturday.

Lethbridge also stays within the province as they return home to host the 7-5 Calgary Dinos next weekend.