VANCOUVER – A 21-point fourth quarter deficit proved too much for the UBC Thunderbirds women's basketball team to overcome on Friday evening, as they fell 77-56 to the Saskatchewan Huskies in the first game of the best-of-three Canada West playoff quarter-final series at Saskatchewan's Physical Activity Complex.
 
Kelsey Trulsrud was the headliner, as the fifth-year guard notched 18 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double, adding two assists and a steal. A fellow senior, Dalyce Emmerson also picked up a points-rebounds double-double, going for 14 and 10. 
 
Adrienne Parkin (Vancouver) was the lone T-Bird to hit double-digits in scoring, as the fifth-year Vancouver native knocked down 15 for the Blue and Gold. Parkin was particularly efficient from three-point range, as the 6-foot forward hit 3-of-4 on her attempts from distance.
 
Early on, the game was defined more by mistakes then successes, as the first half saw the 'Birds make 8-of-29 shots (27.6 per cent) from the field, while the Huskies made just 11-of-44 (25.0%). However, the biggest difference of the opening 20 minutes was in the turnovers, as the Thunderbirds gave the ball away 10 times, while the Huskies only gave it back on five occasions.
 
A buzzer-beating triple from Saskatchewan guard Desarae Hogberg was the final play of the first half, and it put the host Huskies up 34-21 at the break.
 
Coming out of the intermission, the Huskies showed just what has them ranked second in Canada, and tops in the Canada West. With Trulsrud leading the charge, Saskatchewan opened the third frame on a 12-7 run.
 
Despite Parkin's best efforts – the forward led all T-Birds scorers in the third frame with six points, the Huskies' veteran lineup eventually surged out to a 59-38 by the time the buzzer rang out to signal the end of the third quarter.
 
That same 21-point advantage held firm in the final quarter, as the 'Birds were unable to make headway against a deep Saskatchewan roster.
 
Despite the T-Birds shooting a much improved 46.4 per cent and getting contributions from players off the bench like rookie guard Krysten Lindquist (Markham, Ont.) in the second half, seven additional turnovers proved costly.
 
UBC will get a shot to even up the series in a do-or-die game tomorrow evening, March 5. Set to start at 4:15 p.m. (PT), Saskatchewan can advance to the Canada West semifinals with a win, while the 'Birds will need to pull out all the stops to stay alive.