They will settle for a split, but the Winnipeg Wesmen surely were left wanting more Saturday night.

The Regina Cougars bounced back from a lacklustre effort a night before to earn one out of two from Winnipeg, hanging on for a 79-76 Canada West conference women's basketball victory at the Duckworth Centre.

Perhaps both teams, among the two best in Canada, would have settled for a split if offered to them entering the weekend, but the Wesmen were on the cusp of pulling off a sweep of the nation's No. 1-ranked team and instead will have to settle for a quality 9-3 record, which sits one game out of first place in the conference. 

Robyn Boulanger and Raizel Guinto both made six three-pointers on the night, with Boulanger scoring a season-high 26 points and Guinto adding 19. Guinto's younger sister, Raia Guinto, was the only other Wesmen in double figures, scoring a career-high 11 points with three steals, also a career-high for the freshman.

The Wesmen fell behind by seven heading into the fourth quarter and trailed 71-64 with 2:33 remaining. But Boulanger answered a Dayna Pearce three with one of her own to cue a modest 12-6 run that brought the Wesmen to 77-76 after Raizel Guinto hit a three with 13 seconds left. 

Kyanna Giles struggled offensively but was nonetheless two points off a triple double with eight points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. 

Julia Vydrova was fouled on the next possession and hit both, and Anna Kernaghan's last-gasp three rimmed out as the Cougars survived. 

Pearce led four Regina players in double figures with 21 points, Vydrova added 14 points and 11 rebounds, Jade Belmore scored 14, and Zoe Hartmann chipped in 10. 

The Wesmen are on the road next weekend for a pair in Prince George, B.C., against the UNBC Timberwolves.