Box Score
LETHBRIDGE – Facing a team who not only has been undefeated in regular season play, but also is ranked number one in the country, the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns women’s basketball team knew they had to be firing on all cylinders to steal a win from the University of Regina Cougars at the 1^st Choice Savings Centre Friday night.  Though they may not have come out the with W, the ‘Horns did steal the most points of any team that has faced the Cougars this season, but ultimately fell 85-99 to the visitors.
 
Each of the Cougars starters hit double figures, led by guards Michelle Clark and Danielle Schmidt with 19.  Joanna Zalesiak chipped in 17 and Brittany Reid led all rebounders with seven.
 
Fifth-year ‘Horns guard, Lauren Taal only needed four points become the second female ‘Horn to log 1000 points in her career, but the captain led all scorers with 21.  Ali Cameron added 18 to the scoresheet and Katlyn Olsen distributed eight assists. 
 
Both teams came out of the gates red hot, with only three shots missing the mark between the two teams until halfway through the first quarter. The ‘Horns stole the lead with two minutes left in the first stanza when an old-fashioned three point play by Kim Veldman put her team up 23-21.  The ‘Horns finished out the quarter shooting a sizzling 11-17 from the floor, to hold a 27-22 advantage at the first horn. 
 
The ‘Horns responded to every surge the Cougars mounted in nearly the entire first half.  When the Cougars pulled the score even at 40 with a trey, Ali Cameron replied with a triple of her own, maintaining the advantage until two minutes to go in the first half when the Cougars pushed ahead to hold the lead by a pair at 47-49 at the break.
 
The ‘Horns had a tough time maintaining their shooting percentage in the second half while the Cougars seemed to lengthen their stride by forcing turnovers and especially finding the rim from beyond the arc.  Though the home team was shooting a quite respectable fifty percent from the floor, the Cougars ran to an 11point advantage midway through the third quarter. 
 
Though the Cougars continued to shoot the ball very well, the ‘Horns found a way to hang around, preserving roughly that 10 point deficit that they fell into in the third until halfway through the fourth when the Cougars gritted their lead up to 15.
 
Though the ‘Horns matched the Cougars on shots and possessions the difference-maker lay in the disparity between three-point percentages of the two teams.  The Cougars were 11-24 from beyond the arc for 46 percent, while the ‘Horns were just 5-17 and 29 percent. 
 
The win maintains the Cougars’ perfect record at 18-0, while the ‘Horns fall to 6-13.  The two teams will face off again tomorrow at 6 pm with the men’s game to follow.  As always, the games will be webcast on canadawest.tv.