One can’t accuse the Dinos men’s basketball squad of not keeping it interesting. Most of their games have been decided by less than 10 points and they consistently hover around the eighth and final playoff spot in Canada West.
A two-game tilt against the University of Manitoba Bison Jan. 11–12 seemed to be just what the doctor ordered for the Dinos, as the Bison were one of only three teams trailing them in the conference. Two wins in Winnipeg would do wonders for their playoff hopes.
Alas, Friday produced an entertaining, yet ultimately disappointing 98–95 loss for the Dinos. Led by the big three of Andy Strodeur, Whit Hornsberger and John Riad, the Dinos put up the points but despite a dominant rebounding performance by big man Rich Wiebach, they couldn’t keep the Bison off the score sheet.
With that heartbreaking result fresh in their minds, Calgary was on a mission for Saturday’s game-they didn’t disappoint. Balanced scoring-Riad, Hornsberger and Jeff Loomis were all in double figures-combined with complete control of the boards set the Dinos up for a convincing 76–61 victory and a little bit of redemption.
While a pair of victories would have been nice, fans in Dinoland can be heartened by the consistency and solid shooting displayed in Winnipeg. After a less than stellar outing in their previous two games, the Dinos shot over 40 per cent from the floor and over 80 per cent from the line. This will need to be carried over at home against the eighth ranked team in the nation-the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. The Dinos host their divisional rivals from the "Land of the Living Skies" Jan. 18–19 at the Jack Simpson Gymnasium.