BRANDON,MB - The monkey that's been living on the back of the Brandon University women's basketball team has finally been removed. The 'Cats snapped an 87-game conference losing streak with an emotional 81-76 win over the Winnipeg Wesmen Thursday night at the BU Gym.
It was Brandon's first
regular season victory since January 30th, 2004 and the first time a
female coach has won a game at BU since 1993.
Melanie Thompson led the Brandon attack with 21 points, while Allie Butz scored 17, all of them coming in the second half.
Tanysha Robinson scored 14 points and Jayla Bosquet
delivered 12 for the 'Cats, who erased a five point first quarter
deficit with a 13-0 run early in the second period.
The
'Cats led for most of the second half, and held a 76-66 lead with just
over a minute remaining. But the Wesmen mounted a furious comeback, and
Mackenzie Prasek hit a three-pointer with just over 10 seconds left to
make it 78-76.
Winnipeg brought all-out pressure on the
subsequent inbounds play, hoping for a steal. However, second year BU
point guard Jaelyn Greening heaved a football pass over all five Wesmen
defenders, hitting a wide open Jayla Bosquet who managed to kill a few
seconds off the clock before being dragged to the ground.
An intentional foul was called, Bosquet hit the free throws, Brandon got the ball back, and the game was history.
Caitlin Gooch scored 17 points for the Wesmen,
who fell to 8-13 with the loss and moved a half-game back of Manitoba
in the race for second place in the Great Plains division.
Dawna Wright added 13 points for Winnipeg, while Rosemary Mills had 11 and Amy Ogidan chipped in 10.
written by: Jeremy Sawatzky, BU Sports Information
"We stepped up," said second-year Brandon coach Jaime Hickson. "Those
kids, our kids, my kids, they stepped up. It's a bit of a bump we
haven't been able to get over, but there was no panic in their faces.
They took it, they stayed in control, they were focused, and they
executed. They did it together."
It was Brandon's first
regular season victory since January 30th, 2004 and the first time a
female coach has won a game at BU since 1993.
"To
everybody who said it couldn't be done... check the scoreboard," added
Hickson. "I'm really overwhelmed with pride for these kids. They put
everything on the line, and it finally paid off."
Melanie Thompson led the Brandon attack with 21 points, while Allie Butz scored 17, all of them coming in the second half.
"I think we just all had the attitude of 'screw it'", said Butz. "It's
the end of the season, we haven't won a game, and we have nothing to
lose. We just went out there and gave it our all... and it came to us."
Tanysha Robinson scored 14 points and Jayla Bosquet
delivered 12 for the 'Cats, who erased a five point first quarter
deficit with a 13-0 run early in the second period.
The
'Cats led for most of the second half, and held a 76-66 lead with just
over a minute remaining. But the Wesmen mounted a furious comeback, and
Mackenzie Prasek hit a three-pointer with just over 10 seconds left to
make it 78-76.
Winnipeg brought all-out pressure on the
subsequent inbounds play, hoping for a steal. However, second year BU
point guard Jaelyn Greening heaved a football pass over all five Wesmen
defenders, hitting a wide open Jayla Bosquet who managed to kill a few
seconds off the clock before being dragged to the ground.
An intentional foul was called, Bosquet hit the free throws, Brandon got the ball back, and the game was history.
"What a great way to end the year... but we're not done yet," added
Hickson, whose team will wrap up the 07-08 campaign Saturday night in
Winnipeg. "We're going to go there and see what we can do. I know
they're going to come out fired up... but don't ever underestimate my
kids again."
Caitlin Gooch scored 17 points for the Wesmen,
who fell to 8-13 with the loss and moved a half-game back of Manitoba
in the race for second place in the Great Plains division.
Dawna Wright added 13 points for Winnipeg, while Rosemary Mills had 11 and Amy Ogidan chipped in 10.
written by: Jeremy Sawatzky, BU Sports Information