SASKATOON — If there is to be a road to a national championship, it will have to start away from home for the Winnipeg Wesmen. 

The Wesmen women's basketball team finished off its Canada West conference season in fine fashion Saturday, defeating the Saskatchewan Huskies 77-64 to end the season at 14-2 and in a tie with the Huskies for top spot in the East Division.

And while the win was more than welcome, it wasn't enough to propel the Wesmen past the Huskies for top record in the conference. The Huskies will edge out the Wesmen based on point differential during the four games played between the two teams.

The 17-team conference tournament kicks off in Calgary March 4-6 and the top nine teams receive byes on Day 1, while the top 3 teams receive byes through the first two days. The Wesmen will have to wait to see how action in other divisions shakes out next weekend.

For the time being, though, they can be pleased with taking down the Huskies for the second time in four outings this season while avenging a loss from a night before. 

Kyanna Giles had 22 points, 11 rebounds and four assists for Winnipeg, which outscored the Huskies 48-29 in the second half after going into the break down 35-29.

Keylyn Filewich had 13 points and 14 rebounds for her 44th career double-double, which put her alone in third place all-time in Canada West history in that category. 

Anna Kernaghan added 18 points and Faith Hezekiah 12. 

Carly Ahlstrom's 16 points and 10 rebounds paced the Huskies, who also got 15 points from Summer Masikewich and 14 from Libby Epoch. 

The Wesmen won the rebounding battle 54-38. 

An 8-1 run to start the third quarter gave the Wesmen the lead. A fourth-quarter run, however, sealed it. After Ahlstrom hit a 3 with 8:20 to go that brought the Huskies to 56-55 down, the Wesmen held Saskatchewan to just one field goal over the next 7:38 as part of a game-altering 19-6 run.

—#REPTHEW—