VANCOUVER - The Calgary Dinos put forth a third quarter scoring surge to defeat the UBC Thunderbirds 87-59 as the 'Birds opened their home portion of the 2019-2020 Canada West campaign Friday night at War Memorial Gymnasium.
 
The Dinos, who were playing their season opener executed a suffocating full-court press that disrupted the T-Birds rhythm, limiting the hosts to just 13 points in the third quarter while forcing six UBC turnovers and extending their lead to 22 heading into the final frame.
 
"It's our kind of style of basketball," said Calgary Head Coach Damian Jennings. "I don't think the press was perfect tonight and I think that was a testament to how UBC handled it."


 
The Dinos enjoyed spread out scoring and were led by the trio of Bobbi-Jo Colbourn, Liene Stalidzane and Michaela Nieuwenhuizen who recorded 13 points each. For the 'Birds it was Keylyn Filewich setting the scoring tone with a game high 18 points and 5 rebounds while Hailey Counsell chipped in with10 points.
 
The Dinos came out firing early on, draining a couple of early threes allowing the visitors to jump out to a 11-4 advantage after the opening five minutes.
 
On the back of a late Dinos run at the end of the opening quarter, the No. 4 ranked team in the country found themselves up 24-17.
 
The Dinos continued their run into the second quarter, extending their lead to 37-19, forcing an early T-Birds timeout.
 
Coming out of the timeout, the 'Birds switched to zone defense and went on a 9-to-2 run of their own, cutting into the Dinos lead. The Dinos struggled to solve the 'Birds zones resorting to a spell of ill-advised shots and turnovers allowing the 'Birds back into the game.

?? WBBALL | The score at halftime places @DinosWBB in the lead 44-34 over @UBCWBBall in their season home opening weekend. #GoBirdsGo pic.twitter.com/bg6U1Ym4z3

— UBC Thunderbirds / @UBCTBirds (@ubctbirds) November 9, 2019

 
With ten seconds remaining in the opening half, Tanis Metcalfe drove into the key, and managed to score while fouled, cutting the Dinos lead to ten heading into the half.
 
UBC made a little bit of noise in the final frame, but it was too little, too late as they couldn't climb back into the contest.


 
"It's going to be the discipline part of it," Jennings said of adjustments heading into tomorrow's match. "I don't think our game plan was off, it was just challenged from very talented players with UBC."
 
Both these teams are back in action tomorrow at War Memorial Gym for game two of their weekend series, with opening tip set for 5 p.m. PST.