Cougars too much for Averill, Bobcats

Ella Averill showed how big she can be for the Brandon University Bobcats on Saturday.

But on a night when no other Bobcats had their best stuff, it didn’t matter.

The Regina Cougars (8-0) delivered the knockout blow in the first quarter and played a pedestrian last three to win 69-45 in Canada West women’s basketball action at the Healthy Living Centre on Saturday.

Averill had a team-high 18 points on 5-for-8 shooting, adding seven of 10 free throws, but BU (3-7) shot an abysmal 26.4 per cent from the field and never gave itself a chance.

“They came out with the first punch and we weren’t running our stuff, weren’t moving the ball and when we play well, that’s what we do,” Averill said.

“I was obviously happy with my game but we didn’t get the win, so there’s always more you can do. I think just being super aggressive, getting to the basket.

“Obviously, the refs were calling fouls both ways (Saturday), so making the most of that, seeing my matchup, see someone smaller, attack it, try to get that quick first step and hopefully get a foul.”

Player of the year Jade Belmore wasted no time reminding everyone she was the best player on the floor.

The fifth-year guard scored her team’s first five points and dropped 10 in the opening quarter while leading a stifling defence on the other end.

Averill made Brandon’s first field goal nearly six minutes into the game when it already trailed 18-1.

Regina hammered the ball inside and hit 10 of 12 free throws to pull ahead 27-5 through 10 minutes.

BU prevented the lead from getting worse in the second, but still struggled mightily on the offensive end.

It defended well while generating almost all of its offence on one Abbey Shand four-point play midway through the quarter.

The Bobcats defended well the whole quarter, limiting the Cougars to 4-for-18 shooting. It finally translated into transition offence as Macaya Copeland led BU on an 8-0 run to finish the half down 36-21.

Lids were seemingly installed on both baskets during halftime as neither side could score early in the third quarter.

The Bobcats needed nearly half the frame to hit a shot when Averill banked one in, but quickly hit a three-pointer a minute later and tacked on two free throws during an 11-2 BU run to make it 42-32.

Regina caught a break to snap the scoring run when Brandon didn’t rebound an airball and Eden Wells hit a three.

Averill kept fighting her way to the free-throw line and drained a few more to hit 10 on the quarter.

But the rest of the Bobcats only scored five points as the Cougars still led 50-36 after three.

Regina once again broke the game open in the fourth quarter. It limited Brandon to just seven points in the first seven minutes while stretching the lead back over 20 on transition layups and put-backs.

In the end, the Bobcats kept pace for the last three quarters but the woeful start was too much to overcome.

Belmore led all scorers with 22 points while Copeland had 10 for Brandon.

“We put in a good effort as a team to battle back in the second half,” Averill said. “Obviously, we had to come out with the same punch in the first half; it would have been great. Just working on playing our style of game for as long of the game as possible to help us get wins in the future.”

The Bobcats visit the Saskatchewan Huskies to close out the semester next weekend.

The BU volleyball teams return to action this Friday and Saturday following their bye week to host the UBC Okanagan Heat.

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