Huskies await playoff fate after Canada West women’s basketball semis loss

A run of 51 consecutive victories for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s basketball team has been ended by the same program which handed the nation’s top-ranked team their last loss.

The Huskies will not be playing for a Canada West championship in 2026, falling 61-58 to the University of Calgary Dinos on Saturday night in conference semi-finals.

Calgary smothered Saskatchewan’s attack from the second quarter on, limiting reigning U Sports women’s basketball player of the year Gage Grassick to just nine points on the night.

“All credit to them,” Grassick said. “They played great defence and we just couldn’t finish tonight, which is unfortunate. That’s sports and that’s just how it’s going to go some days.”

After getting out to a 19-17 lead following the first quarter after a few big three-pointers by Andrea Dodig and Maya Flindall, the Huskies struggled to sink baskets in the second quarter.

Read more:

• Nationals berth on the line for Huskies in Canada West women’s basketball semis
• U of S Huskies women’s basketball team completes undefeated 20-0 regular season
• Former Huskies, Blades coach Bumstead relishing first PWHL season

That allowed the Dinos to take advantage going on a 10-0 run to eventually lead by a 30-29 count at halftime.

Both teams would trade chances in the second half with leads often staying within five points, keeping the Huskies from going on one of their patented scoring runs late in games.

“We knew Calgary was going to present some difficulties with their athleticism and their length,” Huskies head coach Lisa Thomaidis said. “We just couldn’t seem to be able to create an advantage and get any easy ones. Our jump shooting wasn’t there tonight.”

It’s the first time since 2023 that the Huskies won’t be playing for a Canada West championship, after winning conference banners in 2024 and 2025.

A tough pill to swallow for a team which had not lost a game since Nov. 2, 2024, coincidentally against the very same Dinos team.

“It sucks for sure,” Thomaidis said. “It’s been a long time since we haven’t been in a Canada West final and playing for that trophy. This is going to be a very different feel, especially with a team that’s been so successful for so long.”

The loss not only ends Saskatchewan’s multi-year win streak, but ends their bid for a perfect season after going undefeated for the second time in program history with 20 wins in 20 games.

For Dodig however, the streak being broken isn’t something the team is too devastated by.

“I feel like that the pressure of the streak is kind of a weight lifted off in a way,” Dodig said. “I feel like that’s one less thing we have to worry about at nationals.”

The path to U Sports Final 8 tournament becomes a lot more murky for the Huskies, who are aiming to repeat as national champions.

Unable to secure one of two automatic berths given to Canada West finalists, the Huskies will now have to wait to see if they’ll be selected for the tournament’s lone wildcard berth.

“Super nervous and unfortunate,” Grassick said. “We’ve had such a great season, I think that’s what we can rest on tonight. Knowing that we put in all the work in the season to this point and knowing that we’re in a pretty good spot to get that wild card.”

The waiting game now begins for the Huskies to see if they’ll be selected to keep their season alive, however they stand a good chance of being chosen after their historic regular season and number one ranking across U Sports.

“You don’t want to leave it up to fate,” Dodig said. “You want to get there on your own merit, but we have worked hard all season and luckily put ourselves in this position to potentially get a wild card.”

Saturday’s game was the final to be played at the Physical Activity Complex for the Huskies’ graduating crop of players, like Dodig and Grassick who now await their fate.

To see if their Huskies careers will continue or if they’ve played their final games in green and white.

“If this was the last game I played as a Husky I couldn’t be more proud,” Grassick said. “Not only my career, but the friendships and the coaches who have pushed me to where I am today.”