VReds Season Ends At CIS Tourney

VReds Season Ends At CIS Tourney

By Mike Gange for CIS

(FREDERICTON, NB) The University of Regina Cougars' Charlotte Kot scored 19 points, including 8 in the third quarter, to lead the Cougars to a 68-56 win over the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds in the second consolation semi-final game of the 2016 ArcelorMittal Dofasco CIS Women's Basketball Championship. The Cougars will now play the University of Alberta Pandas, Saturday at 5:00PM Atl.,  in the tournament's fifth place game. consolation finals.

Regina led by only two points at the first quarter, then by three at half time. However, by the end of the third quarter, Regina had built up a ten-point lead.

On Thursday, Regina lost a 3-point game to Ryerson. Kot said the Cougars had to put that behind them. "We knew we had to come out strong. We had to forget the last game, and we knew UNB's guards were good, so we had to work from the start," she said.

Kot said she likes to get herself into the game when the going gets tough. "I like to have the ball in my hands. I want to do what I can to help out our team."

UNB played a hard game off the backboards, but Kot still had nine rebounds. "For their players, we know it was their last game, they were going to come out hard. We knew we would have to dig deep to get this win," she said.

Regina coach Dave Taylor was pleased with how his team responded. "I have been to the national finals 13 times, and three times we have been in this game. I think this team handled this one the best. They responded with positive emotion and got the win. I have never seen Charlotte Kot take a bad shot, and she brings that kind of desire to do better all the time," he said.

UNB Varsity Reds coach Jeff Speedy was disappointed in the loss, but pleased to have his team at the national tournament. "Its not every year you can compete in the nationals. It is a big deal for our seniors and for the program. We wanted to play one more game, but that is not the way it works for us this year," he said.

"We just didn't defend well tonight. When that happens, that puts a lot of pressure on the offense to counter. We didn't do a good job sticking to our game plan. It's natural for us all to be deflated. We played mentally and physically hard games. It will be really hard to watch the CIS finals from our own gym and not be in them." 

SCHEDULE (all times ATLANTIC)

 

Saturday, March 19

12:00 Semifinal 1: Saskatchewan vs. Saint Mary's (SportsnetONE / www.CIS-SIC.tv) *   

14:30 Semifinal 2: McGill vs. Ryerson (SportsnetONE / www.CIS-SIC.tv) *   

17:00 Consolation Final: Regina vs. Alberta (www.CIS-SIC.tv)   

 

Sunday, March 20

10:00 Bronze (www.CIS-SIC.tv)  

13:00 Final (Sportsnet 360 / www.CIS-SIC.tv) * 

*webcast available on pay-per-view basis