EDMONTON - Fifth-year Jayden Tanner scored a career-high 25 points to lift the Alberta Pandas to a 92-53 opening night victory over the Mount Royal Cougars Friday evening at the Saville Centre.

The Pandas opened up the 2025-26 Canada West campaign ranked #2 in the preseason coaches poll, and get off to a good start with a complete victory against the Cougars. They shot 49.3% from the field, and generated 30 turnovers as they looked rock solid in all phases of play. Tanner was joined by Kiah Easton-Ihediohanma who scored 15 and recorded four steals, and Morgan Harris who dropped nine dimes to go with five steals.

The Cougars, ranked #10, was good to great at times, but were unable to sustain any sort of momentum due to the immense turnover problem. They were very successful on the offensive glass, collecting 18 boards and scoring 15 points off of them, but were outrebounded 26-19 on the defensive side, allowing too many second chances for the hosts. They were paced by Nora Lucia who had 13 points in the effort.

The Pandas got off to a rocket start with an immediate 12-2 run, anchored by two treys from Tanner who was stellar in the first, finishing with a frame-high 10 points in the frame. Also stellar was Kiah Easton-Ihediohanma who finished with nine points and a steal as the Pandas seemingly were able to get any look they wanted as they led the Cougars 34-15 after the first quarter.

The Cougars were more effective in the second quarter, getting to the line with reckless abandon and warmed up their stagnant half-court offence. However, the Pandas forced 11 turnovers and scored 13 points off of them in the period, which was easily the biggest factor in a 54-31 Pandas lead at the break. Tanner and Easton-Ihediohanma paced all scorers with 15 points, while the Cougars were led by Jenika Martens who had nine of her own.

Alberta continued their offensive success in the third quarter with a different flavour as 16 of their 22 points came in the paint. Tanner continued her career-night, scoring 10 in the frame and adding an assist, rebound, and steal. The hosts entered the fourth quarter holding a 76-45 lead, impressing a loud Saville Centre crowd.

The Pandas offence would throttle down in the final frame, scoring 16 points, but they would ratchet the defensive intensity up to allow just eight MRU points. The second would tick off in an impressive first victory for Alberta.

The teams will return to action tomorrow night for the last game of the opening weekend series.