LANGLEY, B.C. -- The Pacific National Exhibition closed its annual summer run two months ago, but in case fans of the Simon Fraser women's basketball team didn't get a chance to take a ride on the fair's famed roller coaster, the team replicated its dizzying ups and downs to great effect on Saturday night at the Langley Event Centre.

That was the local story from Day 2 at the CCA Division II Canadian Tip-Off Classic.

The Red Leafs turned in what could well be one of their best 10-minute stretches of the entire season, coming out of halftime and combining suffocating defence with an 8-for-12 (67 per cent) shooting performance from the field which included 3-for-3 shooting from beyond the arc, to pull within a point (54-53) of the Colorado Mesa Mavericks.

Yet after SFU's Jessica Wisotzki (Langley, B.C.) knotted the game 54-54 just 39 seconds into the final frame, the Red Leafs proceeded to turn in a fourth quarter that may likely set the low ebb for the rest of the 2023-24 campaign.

After rallying from 12 down in the third to draw even, Simon Fraser somehow managed to shoot 1-for-11 from the field in fourth quarter, that lone bucket a Sophia Wisotzki (Langley, B.C.) three-pointer which came in the midst of a 20-3 Colorado Mesa run en route to a 77-60 Mavericks' win.

It was the kind of roller-coaster finish that could have driven Red Leafs' head coach Bruce Langford to the trainer's bag for some Gravol pills.

"I thought we had a brilliant third quarter," said Langford. "I thought we competed and ran offence like I know we can.

"Then, I thought we got out-competed in the fourth quarter," he continued. "Is that because we are tired or is that because we have bad habits?"

He wasn't sure, but whatever the case may be, what's clear as the Red Leafs head into their Canadian Tip-Off Classic finale on Sunday (3 p.m.) against Texas A&M International, is that they are a talented bunch in search of their identity three games into a new season. Tickets: https://www.showpass.com/ncaa-division-ii-canadian-tip-off-classic

Colorado Mesa, which improved to a perfect 2-0 with the win, were a sight to see on Saturday.

Playing a second straight game with what basically was a seven-player rotation, the Colorado squad from mile-high Grand Junction, about 400 kilometres west of Denver, performed with the energy of long-distance runners coming down to sea level after training at altitude.

"They worked very hard, they know what they are doing and they ran their stuff very well," said Langford of the Mavericks, who in the fourth mirrored SFU's third quarter by shooting 62 per cent from the field (8-of-13) while limiting the Red Leafs to just nine per cent (1-of-11).

"It tells us where we're at," Langford added. "And it gives us a little bit of clue as to why we're not where we need to be. But that is the purpose of this event, to bring in some of the better teams and see where we're at."

Jessica Wisotzki, double- and triple-teamed with physicality throughout, led SFU with 17 points, nine rebounds and a pair of steals.

Sophia Wisotzki added 10 points and five assists, while Grace Killins (Coquitlam, B.C.) added 11 points.

Arman Dulai (Surrey, B.C.) added eight points, including a pair of three-pointers.
 

Colorado Mesa forward Olivia Reid scored a game-high 20 and grabbed 14 rebounds, while Mason Rowland and Josee Steadman each came off the bench to score 17 points apiece.

The Red Leafs will get a most challenging test Sunday as Texas A&M International has been pressing teams with ferocity for all four quarters.

Yet despite the roller-coaster nature of Saturday's loss, Jessica Wisotzki says she and her Red Leafs teammates will regain equilibrium, then do nothing but lead with their chins.

"We've got to meet that head on," she explained. "So coming out strong and composed and facing (the press) with grit and determination will help us all tomorrow. Tonight, I think we learned what we need to get above and beyond. We were down and then we came back, but we know we just can't get comfortable with that. We have to be better and we have to play the whole 40 minutes."

After Sunday, SFU plays eight more non-conference games before its GNAC opener Dec. 2 in Bellingham against Western Washington.

"I think it's such a good opportunity for us," she said of both Sunday's game and the weekend overall. "We're such a young team, and playing our first two games and both being very physical for us has had to have us try and battle back. Through that, we have learned about ourselves and what we can take away from other teams and use in our league play against the teams we will face in the GNAC."

For the latest information on SFU Athletics, visit athletics.sfu.ca. You can also find us on social media at @SFU_Athletics.
 
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