CALGARY, Alberta – The Trinity Western Spartans had a tough night offensively and had to settle for a weekend split after a 64-45 loss to the Mount Royal Cougars Saturday night at Kenyon Court in Calgary. The loss drops the Spartans to 1-3, while the win moves the Cougars to 3-1.
 
TWU fell behind early, trailing by 10 points, 22-10, after the opening quarter, and 32-21 at halftime. The Spartans cut the lead to four points, 37-33, midway through the third quarter, but it was as close as TWU would get as MRU pulled away to a 47-35 lead after three quarters before closing off with a 19-point win.
 
Third-year guard Cassidy Buchanan with seven points, and four rebounds, and fourth-year guard Shemaiah Abatayo (Vancouver, B.C.) with seven points, four assists, and three rebounds led the Spartans, while Maddy Hooper with 21 points, and three rebounds, and Nora Luca with 15 points, and eight rebounds led the Cougars.
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans will now head to Kelowna, B.C. to face the UBC Okanagan Heat on Friday November 15 and Saturday, November 16. Both games are played at the UBC Okanagan Gym and can be seen live on Canada West TV.
 
QUOTABLE
TWU head coach Cheryl Jean-Paul
"Tonight was a tough one. We gave it all we had to get yesterday's game, and it really cost us today. These are some of the tough lessons that experience can only teach the hard way, learning how to play smarter even when you're tired or frustrated with how the first half has gone. I liked our response in the first few minutes of the third quarter, really thought we could turn it around but they did a much better job of keeping us off-balance when it counted. Knowing that we got a split this weekend is the most important piece and now we rest up and regroup and get ready for the next battle."
 
NOTABLE 

• The Spartans had a rough shooting night and finished the game shooting 26.9 percent (18-67) from the field, 4.5 percent (1-22) from the three-point line, and 72.7 percent (8-11) from the free throw line. While the Cougars shot 29.2 percent (21-72) from the field, 33.3 percent (8-24) from the three-point line, and 58.3 percent (14-24) from the free throw line.
• Mount Royal outrebounded TWU 57-49.
• The Cougars had eight blocks to the Spartans single blocked shot.
• TWU had 20 turnovers to MRU's 14.
• The Spartans defeated the Cougars 84-74 Friday night.
• TWU is currently 11-3 lifetime against MRU. 

About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country, and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men's rugby. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 14 U SPORTS team championships and 34 Canada West team championships.
 
About Trinity Western University
Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in U SPORTS. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
 
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