WINNIPEG – The UBC Thunderbirds scored the final eight points of the game to defeat the host Manitoba Bisons 71-63 Saturday night, and split their Canada West women's basketball series at the Investors Group Athletic Centre in Winnipeg.
 
The Thunderbirds snapped Manitoba's five-game winning streak to open the 2018-19 season.

"It was a similar game to last night, high-energy game with lots of transition, good tempo," said UBC head coach Deb Huband, whose team snapped Manitoba's five-game winning streak.

With the win, UBC improved their record to 3-3. Rookie guard Hailey Counsell came off the bench to lead the Thunderbirds in scoring with 14 points. Jessica Hanson and Kate Johnson each contributed 12 points to the final tally.
 

"A weekend split was good, they were two really close games," said Manitoba head coach Michele Sung. "I hope it kind of grows that seed of belief that we can compete with top teams in our conference."
 
Bisons Taylor Randall netted 21 points, while Nicole Konieczny scored 29; together tallying 50 points for the Herd.
 
A Keziah Brothers layup with just over three minutes to go in regulation tied the game at 63-63, but Keylyn Filewich, playing in her hometown, sparked the game-winning run with a pair of converted free throws on the next possession.
 
With just over a minute remaining, Maddison Penn made a put-back layup after grabbing a rebound off her own miss to make it 67-63. After getting another defensive stop, UBC's Johnson made a jump shot to increase the lead to six points, before she finished the game off with a layup with 18 seconds to go.
 

The Thunderbirds outscored the Bisons 15-7 in the third quarter.

Konieczny hit a layup early in the third to close UBC's lead to 41-39 but the visitors responded with nine straight points, thanks to a pair of layups from Penn, a Counsell triple, and a basket from Johnson. However, the hosts fought back to tie the game in the fourth.

UBC threatened to pull away in the second quarter but the Bisons replied to trail by just one at halftime.

"We're a young team, we finally have some fourth-year players so we're happy about that and every week at practice gives us an opportunity to be better," said Huband.
 
UBC hosts Thompson Rivers next weekend while Manitoba will play next at Regina.
 
- with files from Alyssa Etsell (Bison Sports)