Semifinal #1: UNB Reds advance to first national final in 50 years
The Reds survived a late Calgary push Saturday afternoon, defeating the Dinos 70-66 in the first semifinal game at the 2026 U SPORTS Women's Final 8 to earn a long-awaited berth into Sunday’s championship game — the program’s first appearance in the national final since the 1975–76 season.
Kylee Speedy led the charge for UNB with 16 points and earned player of the game honours, dropping four three-pointers while adding three assists and three steals in a strong full-court performance from the fourth-year guard. Two of those shots from beyond the arc came at a pivotal moment in the third quarter, where the Reds built a double-digit lead over their opponents that would serve as a difference maker as Calgary attempted to make a fourth-quarter comeback late in the final frame.
The teams traded points early in the game, with Calgary taking the first quarter with a 15-13 lead. However, UNB responded in the second, outshooting the Dinos 22-16 to carry a 35-31 advantage into halftime.
The third frame served as the breaking point of the match as UNB dominated the boards while Speedy and Katie Butts combined for 17 points. Calgary refused to let the game go, forcing turnovers from the Reds in the dwindling minutes of the frame but struggled to convert and get the ball to drop. The Reds would take a 14-point lead into the fourth.
Calgary attempted a fourth-quarter surge, outscoring the Reds 21-11. However, the lead the AUS champions built during the third would prove to be too much for the Dinos to overcome despite their efforts to erase the deficit.
Calgary will move on to Sunday’s bronze-medal game against the hosts, Laval Rouge et Or, while the Reds will battle with the Canada West champions and reigning U SPORTS champions, Saskatchewan Huskies, for their first championship banner in program history.
Semifinal #2: Huskies outlast defensive standoff against host Rouge et Or
Offence came at a premium all night as the Saskatchewan Huskies and Laval Rouge et Or entered Saturday’s semifinal at the 2026 U SPORTS Women's Final 8, averaging more than 150 combined points per game. Instead, the two defensive powers turned the matchup into a grind, with Saskatchewan pulling away late for a 55-43 victory.
At the centre of it all was fifth-year forward Ella Murphy Wiebe.
Wiebe delivered a dominant performance, posting a double-double with 26 points and 16 rebounds on her way to earning player of the game honours.
Neither team found much offensive rhythm early. Saskatchewan edged ahead 14-12 after the opening quarter and carried a narrow 25-22 lead into halftime as both defences dictated the tempo.
The tension continued through the third quarter, with Laval staying within striking distance and Saskatchewan holding a slim 36-33 advantage entering the final frame.
The low-scoring defensive chess match was finally broken in the fourth as the Huskies began to build a wider lead.
Murphy Wiebe scored eight points in the final quarter as the Huskies closed the game on a 19-10 run, sealing the win at the free-throw line.
Despite shooting just 29.6 per cent from the field, Saskatchewan’s rebounding and late execution proved decisive, sending the defending champions to the national final for the second year in a row.