Scheduled Game: @UBC Pacific Division Final

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GAME RESULTS 1 2 3 4 T Trinity Western 22 16 19 23 80 British Columbia 23 22 23 15 83 « FINAL

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Game Recap

Men's Basketball (Pacific Division Final)
Friday, February 20, 2009
No. 9 TWU Spartans (80) at the No. 2 University of British Columbia Thunderbirds (83)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RIVALRY RENEWED
-UBC takes opener in thriller at the War

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VANCOUVER - In a battle of two heavy weights the opener of the Pacific Division finals went to the No. 2 University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 83-80 over the No. 9 Trinity Western University Spartans Friday night in a thunderous War Memorial Gym.

Chris Dyck (Winnipeg) with 28 points, 23 in the second half, was the star for the Thunderbirds (21-2, 2-0), while Jamie Vaughan (Chilliwack, B.C.) led the Spartans (17-6, 2-1) with 23 points, 18 in the second half.

The game was one of runs and counter runs by both teams. But when it came down to the end of the game the Thunderbirds, who had trouble rebounding most of the night, were able to get the offensive rebounds that they needed and hit their foul shots down the stretch to claim the opener. TWU outrebounded UBC 46-38 on the night, but the Thunderbirds had the free throw edge hitting 27 of 38 to the Spartans 18-32.

In addition to Vaughan the Spartans had strong performances from Brian Banman (Kelwona, B.C.) with 18 points, six assists and four rebounds and Jason Keegstra (Vernon, B.C.) with 13 points and six rebounds, while UBC had solid games from Blain Labranche (Edmonton) with 17 points and five rebounds and Josh Whyte (Calgary) with 10 points.

It looked like the Spartans were going to take the opener after a Vaughan jumper put the Spartans up four points, 80-76 with 1:19 remaining. But UBC did not allow TWU to score the rest of the game as the Thunderbirds outscored the Spartans 7-0 and out-rebounded the Trinity Western 4-0 to steal the win.

The Thunderbirds came out with a seven nothing run to open the greatly anticipated match-up. The Spartans weathered the storm and were able to tie it at 9-9 after a Vaughan jumper four minutes into the game. UBC went on their second run of the game and jumped out to 23-13 lead. But once again the Spartans responded and outscored the Thunderbirds nine nothing to trail 23-22 at the end of the quarter.

The Spartans continued their run into the second quarter and took their first lead of the game when Vaughan opened the quarter with a jumper in the paint to put TWU up 24-23. The game remained tight for the first half of the quarter. Then the Spartans Louis Hurd (Spokane, Wash.) hit a three point basket to put TWU up 37-35 with 4:30 remaining. However, the remainder of the half belonged to the Thunderbirds as UBC outscored TWU 10-1 to take a 45-38 lead into the half.

The third quarter was a physical match-up. TWU kept pounding the ball inside while UBC attacked the perimeter. The strategy worked for the Spartans as they crept back into the game and after a two on one transition lay-up by Jacob Doerksen (Abbotsford, B.C.), TWU only trailed by two points, 50-48 with just over five minutes to go. But the Thunderbirds, who were by the scoring of Dyck were once again able to take over as they extend their lead to 63-57 with under a minute remaining in the quarter. Then with 23 seconds remaining Dyck hit a deep three pointer and as the ball was in the air TWU's Vaughan was called for a foul on Brent Malish (Langley, B.C.). Malish hit both to give the Thunderbirds a five point play and a 68-57 lead. On the next possession Vaughan was fouled grabbing a Hurd miss. Unfortunately he missed both foul shots and TWU trailed by 11 points at the end of three quarters. The Thunderbirds Dyck and the Spartans Vaughan both dominated their positions over the ten minutes. Vaughan finished with 12 points on the quarter, while Dyck finished with 13 as the Thunderbirds led 68-57.

Trinity Western did not let UBC run away and hide. The Spartans opened the quarter with a stunning 11-0 run and after a Daniel Horner (Abbotsford, B.C.) foul shot had tied the game at 68-68. After a Dyck lay-up, TWU's Banman hit a three pointer to give the Spartans a 71-70 lead with just over five and a half minutes remaining. Dyck tied the game by going one for two from the line, but a three pointer by Banman and a jumper by Keegstra gave the visitors from Langley, B.C. a five point, 76-71 lead with four minutes remaining in the contest. Three straight UBC foul shots, Alex Murphy (Richmond, B.C.) with one and Dyck with two made it a two point game 76-74 with 3:30 remaining. Horner hit two foul shots to give TWU back the four point lead, 78-74. Dyck and Vaughan each exchanged jumpers to keep the TWU lead at four points, 80-76, and set up the dramatic finish.

TWU finished shooting 38 percent (26-68) from the field, 41 percent (10-24) from the three point line and 56 percent (18-32) from the field, while UBC finished shooting 42 percent (24-57), 34 percent (8-23) and 71 percent (27-38) respectively.

The two teams will go at it again tomorrow night at UBC's War Memorial Gym. Game time for game two of the best of three series is set for 7 p.m. The Spartans advanced to the final with 2-1 series win over the University of Victoria, while the Thunderbirds advanced by sweeping Simon Fraser.

Game Notes: TWU and UBC have met three times in the Pacific Division postseason. The Thunderbirds have won each series. The most memorable was on 2002-03, when UBC won 69-67 in game three...Tonight's match-up was reminiscent of the historic match-up as both the Spartan Faithful and the UBC fans chanted back and forth to cheer their respective squads on...

-TW-

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