CALGARY - The Mount Royal University Cougars hosted the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns to a tough game on Kenyon Court.
The Pronghorns won the night 102-93. The scores for each quarter were: 22-24, 24-18, 30-25, and 26-26.
Setting the pace for the Pronghorns was Scott Mazutinec with 18 points, followed by Chad Oviatt with 16. Nate Petrone led in points for the Cougars with 20 with Adam Pahl close behind with 18.
Lethbridge's Colton Gibb opened the game with a layup after just four seconds of play, followed shortly by a jumper from Oviatt. Mount Royal soon found their momentum and narrowed the gap to just two points. Lethbridge widened their lead thanks to a series of layups, their signature play for the quarter. A successful free throw from Cougars' Pahl tied the score until Petrone brought the team into the lead with 30 seconds to spare.
Shortly after tip off for the second, a three pointer from Lethbridge's Mazutinec brought the Pronghorns into a narrow lead once more. They fought for control of the court, the advantage bouncing to either side. Mazutinec finally broke the struggle with a three pointer, sneaking them into the lead once more. Despite the Cougars staying close on their tail, the Pronghorns held a healthy lead until the halftime buzzer.
Mount Royal managed to tie the score after a minute and a half into the third. However, the Pronghorns soon took the lead once more, holding at least a point ahead for several minutes. Mount Royal fought to narrow the score, but Lethbridge managed to take a lead of nine points, ending with a buzzer-beater layup by Kyle Peterson.
The fourth began with several free throws for both sides, slowing the game's momentum. Lethbridge's Colton Gibb brought the energy back to the play by landing several points, furthering their lead. Mount Royal's Holt Tomie and Lincoln Anderson found some opportunities to sneak in several points for the team, some of the last of the night. The Pronghorns then ran away with the score thanks to a series of free throws. Cougars' Petrone closed the night with a buzzer beating layup.
The two teams will face off once more this weekend in Lethbridge on Saturday, January 17th. It will be broadcasted live on CanadaWest.tv, presented by Co-op.
