Darren Zary
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
They didn’t lose in 2025, and they’ve yet to lose in 2026.
The University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s basketball team is riding a 50-game winning streak as it heads into the Canada West playoffs this coming weekend.
It’s been an incredible stretch for the reigning U Sport national champions, whose last loss goes way back to Nov. 2, 2024, when they dropped a 65-63 decision to the Calgary Dinos.
“It really is (amazing),” says longtime Huskies women’s basketball coach Lisa Thomaidis.
“I don’t think it’s really sunk in. Every time you think this group has done it all and what more can they accomplish and then, you kind of go, ‘holy crap!, 50’? It’s not been on our radar, at all, but then when you get to a milestone number like 50, it kind of hits home.”
The Huskies will play the winner of a play-in game between the Fraser Valley Cascades and Mount Royal Cougars. Their quarterfinal game goes this Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Physical Activity Complex.
Saskatchewan played Mount Royal earlier this season, winning 89-46 and 68-51.
“That’s good, but that was way back at the end of October, beginning of November,” Thomaidis said. “Fraser Valley, we haven’t seen at all, so that will be interesting to see how they match up and what that looks like.”
Saskatchewan’s graduating fifth-year senior guard Gage Grassick finished the regular season sixth among Canada West scorers, averaging 15.8 points per game. Teammates Logan Reider and Maya Flindall were right behind her, next at 15.1 points per game.
Grassick ranks No. 5 among free-throw shooters (80 per cent) and steals (49), while Reider is No. 2 for free-throw shooting at 83 per cent.
Tea DeMong is No. 2 in the conference with 50 steals and 12th overall with 18 blocked shots.
As for sure-shooters, Ella Murphy Wiebe ranked No. 2 in Canada West with a 53.5 shooting percentage. Flindall is No. 4 at 48.1 per cent.
“I know, at the end of last year, we were playing at such a high level and that was always kind of our challenge this year,” Thomaidis said.
“This is the best offensive team, in terms of putting up points per game. We’ve been over 100 (points) a number of times this season — we’re averaging 85 or something. We’re the top offensive, top defensive team, in the country. It’s just been so fun to see them showcase all of their hard work. Really, that’s what it’s all about. They’ve put in so much time, worked extremely hard, right from day one.”
Dodig a late — and surprise — addition
In January, the Huskies bolstered their team with a late addition when guard Andrea Dodig decided to come back for a final year of eligibility.
Dodig had supposedly graduated from the program and was seeking pro opportunities over in Europe before making her way back to Saskatchewan in the new year.
Thomaidis said she decided to come back two days before school started in January. Dodig wasn’t eligible to play until the Saturday of the team’s first weekend in Alberta.
“She’s been back in ever since. We are very thankful because she has become quite useful.”
