University of Winnipeg

The top defensive team in the country did what it does best for the second night in a row.

The Ottawa Gee-Gees held the Regina Cougars to 31 per cent shooting and just 19 points in the second half en route to a 69-54 win in the second semifinal of the Wesmen Classic Thursday night at the Duckworth Centre. 

The win will set the No. 2 team in the country up with a Classic championship contest with the host Winnipeg Wesmen. 

The Gee-Gees, who allow a U Sports-low 65.9 points per game, held the Cougars to 15-for-49 shooting, their lowest output from the field in conference or non-conference play this season. the 54 points were also a season-low for Regina, which will face Brandon in the third-place game Friday at 6 p.m.

Guillaume Pepin had 17 points and seven rebounds to lead the Gee-Gees, while Cole Newton had 16 points five rebounds and five assists. Jacques-Melaine Guemeta scored 10 points off the bench. 

The Cougars hung tough for the first half going into the break down 36-35. Ultimately, however, the Cougars couldn't find enough makes on the offensive end to complement the stops they got on the defensive side. The Cougars held Ottawa without a point for 3:29 of the third quarter, but that Gee-Gees slump corresponded with a pointless drought by Regina, which saw the scoreboard stay frozen at 45-38 in that span. 

Nigel Warden led Regina with 14 points and Arinze Emeke-Anyakwo scored 11 off the bench.