Cougars fall to Ottawa at U Sports women’s basketball tourney

The University of Regina Cougars’ pursuit of the U Sports women’s basketball title ended Thursday in Toronto.

Regina fell to the consolation side of the eight-team tournament following a 65-63 loss to the Ottawa Gee-Gees in the Cougars’ first game of the event.

The Cougars are to face the Ryerson Rams in a consolation semifinal Friday. Game time is 8 p.m. EST.

The Saskatchewan Huskies, meanwhile, earned a berth in a championship semifinal with a 77-69 triumph over the Acadia Axewomen in another of Thursday’s quarterfinals.

Saskatchewan is to face the McMaster Marauders on Saturday. The other championship semifinal is to feature the Gee-Gees and the top-seeded Laval Rouge et Or.

Playing without star guard Kyanna Giles (knee), the Cougars struggled to score in the first half Thursday. Regina, the tournament’s fifth seed, trailed the fourth-seeded Gee-Gees 37-24 at the break.

The Cougars outscored the Gee-Gees 22-15 in the third quarter to get back into the contest, but Ottawa was able to hold on.

Macaela Crone had 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Cougars, the Canada West silver medallists. Christina McCusker added 16 points and Michaela Kleisinger had 12 points for Regina.

The Canada West-champion Huskies are seeded third in the eight-team tournament. The Axewomen, the champions of Atlantic University Sport, are the sixth seeds.

Summer Masikewich had 25 points and eight rebounds for the Huskies, who got 13 points and 10 rebounds from Kyla Shand. Saskatchewan outrebounded the Axewomen 53-33.

In Thursday’s other games, McMaster posted a 86-68 victory over the No. 7-ranked Concordia Stingers and the top-seeded Rouge et Or beat eighth-seeded Ryerson 73-51.

Concordia and Acadia are to meet in Friday’s other consolation semifinal. The consolation final, the bronze-medal game and the gold-medal game are set for Sunday.