CALGARY – On a must-win weekend for the University of Calgary Dinos, their lone fifth-year senior stepped up large, determined to make it back to the playoffs. After a 38-point effort in Friday night's series opener against Manitoba, Ashley Hill poured in 34 Saturday as the Dinos extended their win streak to six games, moved back to the .500 mark, and edged the Bisons 77-75.

BOX SCORE

Calgary now sits with a 10-10 record, one game up on the Thompson Rivers WolfPack with two games in hand and four left on the schedule. The Dinos' magic number to clinch a playoff spot is now one – so any combination of one Calgary win or one TRU loss will put Calgary in the post-season. Manitoba, meanwhile, was all but eliminated at the hands of the Dinos this weekend, falling to 6-14.

There aren't many adjectives left to describe Hill, who is suddenly within spitting distance of second spot on the Dinos' all-time scoring list, just 65 points back of Meagan Koch's total of 1,644 with four games left to play. She put up 34 points for the third time this season and, with her 38-point explosion Friday, holds the top four single-game performances in the conference this season.

And it couldn't have come at a more appropriate time.

“Not only was it a career night, it was a career weekend for Ashley,” said Dinos head coach Shawnee Harle. “Plus she guarded their best player tonight, and she did it in a must-win situation.”

It turned out every one of those points was crucial to Calgary's win, which came by the slimmest of margins after it looked like they would win going away early, holding a 15-point lead in the opening quarter. But a 10-point halftime advantage was cut to just one after a dominant third quarter by Manitoba, forcing a tense and drawn-out fourth quarter.

After all six second-half time outs were called in a 45-second span and 45 seconds remaining on the clock, Calgary held a 75-73 lead. Tamara Jarrett and Hill each had trips to the line and came away with just one point each, sandwiching a two-for-two from the line by Manitoba's Lauren Mortier. After Hill missed her second with less than 10 seconds to go, the Bisons raced down the floor – but Asia Rhines-Malone's desperation three-ball bounced off the rim and the Dinos emerged with the victory and the series sweep.

“We came up big when we needed to,” said Harle. “It wasn't always pretty, but I couldn't see anybody taking pictures anyway. Manitoba took us right to the limit, and you have to give them credit for the way they played. They simply refused to go away.”

Rhines-Malone was the leading scorer on the night for Manitoba, potting 18 points, while Kayla Klassen added 15. The Bisons struggled with field goal shooting, managing just 35 percent efficiency – though the Dinos didn't fare much better at only 39 percent.

With the exception of Hill, who went 10-for-12 from the stripe, the Dinos struggled from the free throw line, converting just 24 of their 40 chances. Alex Cole was the only other Calgary player to crack double digits with her 11-point night, while Jarrett was a distant third with eight.

Calgary did enjoy a 54-43 edge in rebounding on the night.

The Bisons return home to face the lowly Trinity Western Spartans next weekend, while the Dinos close their season with back-to-back weekends against old rivals – both of whom happen to be among the elite in Canada West. Needing just one victory to solidify a playoff spot in their final four games, the Dinos head to Edmonton for the final games at the University of Alberta Main Gym next week before closing the year at home against first-place Saskatchewan. A tough task to be sure, but certainly a better scenario for Calgary than scoreboard-watching.

“We continue to control our own destiny,” Harle summarized, “and that's exactly what you need to do at this crucial time of the season.”

-UC-