With first place in the Great Plains Division on the line, last weekend’s games against the Regina Cougars (14-4) were almost must-wins for the Winnipeg Wesmen (10-8); unfortunately, two more losses put Winnipeg on a four-game losing streak.

After losing 71-62 to Regina on Friday, Jan. 23, the teams hit the hardwood again Saturday night with similar results, as Winnipeg fell behind 68-44. Regina is in first place of the Great Plains Division while Winnipeg is in second place.

Saturday night saw Winnipeg off to a great start, in spite of losing to Regina the night before. By half time Winnipeg was only behind Regina by six points and were still in the game. However, by the third quarter the Cougars bounded ahead with a 14 point lead and the game was out of reach from there on out.

“We pretty much just need to bring a better effort in the second half. We didn’t come out with as much energy as we needed. We just need to bring up the intensity and do the little things,” said second-year guard Amy Ogidan, who put up 10 points in Saturday night’s game.

The Wesmen were dealing with a huge injury as third-year post Alex MacIver had to sit out of the game.

“We were playing without our biggest player, and that obviously hurts us, and we were just adjusting and trying to figure out how to work through it,” said Ogidan.

Regina seemed to dominate the boards in this game as they came up with rebound after rebound. Regina players Carmen Stewart, Jessica Lynch and Brittany Read all worked the glass as they earned nine rebounds each. Meanwhile, Winnipeg’s Jessica Stromberg lead her team with only seven rebounds.

Top scorers included Wesmen guard Catie Gooch, finishing with a team high of 14 points to go along with her four steals. Regina’s top point getters were Stewart and Chelsea Cassano, who tied for the game lead with 15 each.

“We definitely have our eyes on the playoffs,” said Ogidan, “We play Brandon next weekend, then Trinity Western and Simon Fraser after that. We hope that we can get through it and play Regina again in the Great West Final.”

In other Wesmen action, the men’s basketball team was able to snap out of their four game losing streak as they beat Regina 77-64 on Friday and again on Saturday in a close one: 64-62.

Wesmen volleyball saw the men drop both games (3-0 and 3-1) against the first place Alberta Golden Bears in the rematch of last year’s finals. The women also lost to Alberta 3-1 and 3-0.

Published in Volume 63, Number 18 of The Uniter (January 29, 2009)