Alberta survives scare from Brandon women

Josephine Odude is finally getting used to this new basketball world she chose.

The Australian import realized Canada West is simply way more physical than the professional league she competed in back home.

On Saturday, Odude proved she could handle it while the Brandon University Bobcats (0-4) showed some resilience.

The Alberta Pandas (2-0) got the best of them, winning 88-75, but Odude walked off with her head held high.

“Losing by 50 is just not a good feeling at all,” Odude said, referencing Friday’s 93-47 beatdown.

“It was kind of a wake-up call for us to lock in. They may be the No. 2 team but that doesn’t mean they can just walk all over us at the same time.”

Odude posted 17 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks as she made the Alberta bigs work a whole lot harder than they needed to on Friday.

“It’s just a lot more physical here. I’ve never been hit so much in my life. It’s a big adjustment but I feel like I’m getting better for it,” Odude said.

BU head coach Ilarion Bonhomme felt much better about how his group handled the No. 2-ranked team in Canada on Saturday.

“Way better, obviously the score reflects it,” Bonhomme said.

“We did a lot of good stuff, just aggressive attacking closeouts… we were intentional with our cuts, still tough because we harped on taking care of the ball and yeah, we have seven less but 30 turnovers is too much, especially 30 turnovers compared to their 10.”

The Bobcats drove hard against the massive Pandas defence, earning a few layups and a bunch of trips to the free-throw line in the first quarter, making six of 11 attempts.

They also limited Alberta’s offensive rebounding and picked off a few passes and cashed in on transition layups to keep it close.

But the visitors’ full-court pressure paid off late in the quarter as they created a few easy buckets to lead 19-12 through 10 minutes.

Brandon got into foul trouble early in the second quarter, putting Alberta into the penalty just four minutes in.

The Pandas stretched their lead with a few three-pointers, while Halle Penner powered BU’s offence with a three-point play and a tough layup in the middle of the quarter.

After the Bobcats didn’t connect from deep in the opening frame, Abbey Shand knocked down two to cut the deficit to 40-32.

Penner drove for a crazy scoop layup in the dying seconds of the half to go into the break down 43-37.

While nationally ranked opponents tend to make big second-half adjustments and come out flying, the Bobcats matched the Pandas’ intensity perfectly.

Penner kept finding her way to the rim, and Josephine Odude denied Alberta at the rim time and time again.

BU stayed within four at 55-51, then Kiah Easton-Ihediohanma nailed two threes and a layup on a 12-2 Alberta run to go up 67-53 with 10 minutes to go.

BU started the fourth on a 6-0 run as Odude scored a quick four.

But the Bobcats didn’t score for the next few minutes, and gave up a back-breaking possession including five offensive rebounds leading to a layup.

The Pandas rattled off an 8-0 run to pull ahead 75-59 before Penner drilled a trey with five minutes to go.

BU managed to draw Mishynn Miller and Sophie Hall’s fifth fouls down the stretch, but couldn’t piece together the improbable string of stops and scores it needed to come back.

Shand finished with a game-high 26 points while Penner had 20.

“That’s very key,” Odude said.

“We need at least three to four girls having a good night for us to have a good game. I feel like Halle and Abbey, they can be big parts for us.”

The Bobcats visit the MacEwan Griffins in Edmonton this Friday and Saturday.

While 0-4 isn’t where Bonhomme wanted to be, he’s seeing good things.

“We talked about some offensive stuff, pace-wise, that we were able to do,” Bonhomme said.

“Our cuts, how hard we were sprinting to meet the ball, we did a better job of that in stretches. A lot of our individual conversations were positive, like Josephine, just letting her know how talented she is and sometimes I feel like she holds it back but when she plays like she did (Saturday), she’s a special, special player.”

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com