VICTORIA – The University of Saskatchewan Huskies women's basketball team shot the lights out inside the CARSA Performance Gym, hitting 63 per cent of their three-pointers and going 54 per cent from the field en route to defeating the host UVic Vikes 96-63 on Nov. 18.
The Huskies, who have won three of the last four Canada West Championships, picked up 43 rebounds to the Vikes 24 in the game and with they win they move to a perfect 6-0 on the season, while the Vikes drop to 4-4.
Sabine Dukate led the Huskies with 21 points on the night and was three-for-five from three in the game. Summer Masikewich was a force down low, recording 17 points and 13 rebounds for Saskatchewan. It was a total team effort on the night as three other players broke double-digits in points for the Huskies.
Fourth-year guard Kristy Gallagher once again led the way for the Vikes scoring 23 points in the game, 12 of which came in the third quarter. Amira Giannattasio added 14 points, while Marissa Dheensaw ended just two points shy of a double-double, putting up eight and 10.
The Huskies showed why they are one of the best teams in Canada right from the opening tip-off.
Saskatchewan shot 66 per cent from the field as a team and were four-for-five from three-point range in the opening quarter en route to scoring 25 points in the frame.
The No. 8 ranked team in the country was getting it done on both ends of the floor as they held the Vikes to just 12 points on five-for-14 shooting in the quarter.
The hot shooting continued for the Huskies in the second quarter as the team scored the first 12 points in the frame to take a 37-14 lead halfway through the second. The Vikes fought back but were only able to trim the deficit to 54-26 after the first half.
Shooting 61 per cent from the field and 80 per cent from beyond-the-arc, the Huskies had their best offensive quarter in the third. The team put up 29 points in the frame but were somewhat kept in check by Gallagher, who score 12 points in the quarter to lead the Vikes to 24 of their own and keep the deficit at 25 points heading into the final frame.
A dominant fourth-quarter from Saskatchewan allowed them to cruise to the 33-point victory.
The Vikes will now have a week off to rest and regroup before they hit the road to play the Alberta Pandas in a pair of games on December 1 and 2.
The Huskies also play their next games in Alberta. They will take their perfect record to Edmonton to take on the Pandas on November 24 and 25.