Box Score WINNIPEG – The #3 ranked Alberta Pandas extended their winning streak to 17 games with a win over the Manitoba Bisons, on Saturday, February 8, at the Investors Group Athletic Centre (U of M campus).
 
Alberta won 72-58 and improves to 18-2 on the season. Manitoba's loss puts their record now at 4-16.
 
Alberta won the defensive battle for the second night in a row. The Pandas finished the game with more rebounds and steals than the Bisons.
 
"We competed again," said Bisons co-head coach Michele Hynes, "but only in the first half."
 
Manitoba jumped out to an early 8-3 lead in the first quarter before Alberta marched back with a 13-4 run of their own. The Pandas led by four points at the end of the first quarter. Allison Balasko helped lead her Bisons throughout the game. She finished with a double-double, rebounding 10 times, and scoring 15 points.
 
Alberta continued to press with a 14-7 run to open the first five minutes of the second quarter. It was Manitoba though who took a 10-4 run to end of the first half. They trailed by 5 going into the break.
 
"We made a great run at the end of that first half," said Hynes. "Which put us in a position to compete again in the second half, but transition defense killed us."
 
The second half saw the Pandas extend their lead, going ahead by as many as 21. Maddie Rogers, who came off the bench to net 17 total points, 11 of them coming in the second half, led her Alberta team.
 
Manitoba will next play on Thursday, February 13, against the University of Winnipeg Wesmen in the 23rd annual Duckworth Challenge. Alberta will be home next weekend for their final two regular season games against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.