Calgary, AB – The TRU WolfPack proved to be too strong for the young Cougars squad, defeating MRU 70-43 Friday night in their home opener. Emma Piggin led all scorers with 16 points for the WolfPack. Melissa Moore was the only Cougar to score in double-digits, putting up 12 points in the loss.

The Cougars started the game off on a 6-5 run, earning their first home lead of the new season. Rookie Head Coach Nate McKibbon played his entire bench in the first quarter, trying to keep the tempo high. It seemed to work as the Cougars were relentless of defence, causing confusion and turnovers. Mount Royal's outside game looked good early but the WolfPack were even stronger inside. After the first quarter TRU led 18-13.

TRU felt the pressure in the first quarter and came out gunning in the second. They scored five straight points to start the half and opened up a double-digit lead. McKinnon called another timeout, to try and compose his squad. Brooke Lister hit a deep three to cut the deficit to seven. However, the stoppage also inspired the WolfPack's long-range game, restoring the double-digit lead. After a long scoreless stretch, the Cougars managed another bucket to close the halftime gap to 28-21.

TRU exploded out of the gate in the second half, going on a 9-0 run, forcing the Cougars to call a timeout. Michelle Tiffany finally got the Cougars on the board with a long three-ball, cutting into the WolfPack's lead. Mount Royal struggled throughout the quarter to find an inside presence and TRU exploited it. TRU outscored Mount Royal 20-7 in the third quarter to take a commanding 48-28 lead.

The WolfPack's presence in the paint was too strong for the Cougars. As Mount Royal's outside shooting percentage dwindled, the gap grew larger. TRU was up 20 points at the 6:30 mark of the fourth quarter and cruised to a 70-43 victory.

Mount Royal falls to 0-3 with the loss while Thompson Rivers remains perfect on the season improving their regular season record to 3-0.

The Cougars and WolfPack will play the second half of their weekend set tomorrow afternoon at 5:00pm on Kenyon Court.