Scheduled Game: SIMON FRASER*

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GAME RESULTS 1 2 3 4 T Simon Fraser 21 22 27 22 92 « FINAL Trinity Western 14 18 20 22 74

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Game Recap

Men's Basketball (Canada West)
Friday, January 30, 2009
TWU Spartans (74) vs. the Simon Fraser University Clan (92)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SIMON FRASER STOPS SPARTANS STREAK

LANGLEY, British Columbia - The No. 10 Trinity Western University men's basketball team's 12 game winning streak came to a crashing end Friday night as the visiting Simon Fraser University Clan dominated the Spartans 92-74 in front of a packed David E. Enarson Gym.

Sean Burke (North Vancouver, B.C.) with 24 points and Matt Kuzminski (Nanaimo, B.C.) with 18 points led the Clan to the stunning win as SFU out rebounded TWU 35-26 and forced the Spartans into 22 turnovers. Louis Hurd (Spokane, Wash.) with 28 points, Brian Banman (Kelowna, B.C.) with 12 points and Jamie Vaughan (Chilliwack, B.C.) with 11 point led the Spartans, who lose in Canada West play for the first time since Nov. 21, and fall to 15-6. The win improves the Clan to 12-9.

The Spartans opened the game by taking an early 6-2 lead, but from then on it was all Clan. Over the next six minutes SFU outscored TWU 17-2 on their way to a 21-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Trinity Western continued to have trouble stopping Simon Fraser in the second quarter. The Clan kept moving the ball to the open shooter and attacking the basket as they built an 11 point, 43-32, half time lead.

The Spartans came out with energy and enthusiasm to start second half. Three minutes in to the half TWU had cut the SFU lead to six points, 43-37, after a Banman three point shot. But the momentum faded in the harsh light of a 20-6 SFU run which gave the Clan a 20 point, 63-43 lead with three minutes remaining in the third quarter. TWU kept trying to get closer, but when the buzzer ended the quarter the Spartans still trailed by 18 points, 70-52.

The teams battled back and forth through the start of the fourth quarter. Then with seven and a half minutes remaining the Spartans started to put things together. Trailing 76-58 TWU went on a 12-5 run to cut the SFU lead to 11 points with just under four minutes remaining. But it was as close as TWU would get as the Simon Fraser held off the charge for the 18 point victory.

The Clan's total control of the game from start to finish never allowed the capacity crowd to make their voices heard. The David E. Enarson was packed in honour of the final Canada West conference game to be played in 40 year old gym, to honour the graduating seniors and watch the TWU women's soccer team raise their 2008 CIS championship banner to the rafters.

Tonight's game was the final home conference game for seniors Brian Banman, Jamie Vaughan, Michael Brouwer (Nanaimo, B.C.) and redshirt Jon Schmidt (Abbotsford, B.C.).

The Spartans will now travel to Winnipeg for the final Canada West conference games of the season. TWU will play the University of Manitoba on Fri. Feb. 6 and the University of Winnipeg on Sat. Feb. 7. The Clan will also travel to Winnipeg to battle the Bisons and the Wesmen.

Depending on the outcome of the final weekend TWU will either open the Pacific Division playoffs at home against the University of Victoria Vikes on Thur. Feb. 12 or on the road in Victoria on Fri. Feb. 13. Despite the loss the Spartans destiny to host is still in their hands. If TWU sweeps the two games in Winnipeg the Spartans will be back at the David E. SFU's play-off scenario is already set as the Clan will travel to UBC Feb. 13 to battle the Thunderbirds.

Game Notes: SFU had 25 points off of TWU turnovers compared the Spartans 10...the Clan also had the advantage in second chance points outscoring the Spartans 18-5...

-TW-

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