Scheduled Game: @UBC Pacific Division Final

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GAME RESULTS 1 2 3 4 T Trinity Western 16 15 15 18 64 British Columbia 15 20 15 30 80 « FINAL

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Game Recap

Men's Basketball (Pacific Division Final)
Saturday, February 21, 2009
No. 9 TWU Spartans (64) at the No. 2 University of British Columbia Thunderbirds (80)
UBC wins the best of three series 2-0.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THUNDERBIRDS SEND SPARTANS LOOKING FOR WILDCARD

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VANCOUVER - The No. 2 University of British Columbia Thunderbirds (21-2, 4-0) used an 19-4 run over the final five minutes to blow open a closely contested game and send the No. 9 Trinity Western University Spartans (17-6, 2-3) down to defeat, 80-64, Saturday night at UBC's War Memorial. The win gives the Thunderbirds the best of three series 2-0 and the Pacific Division title. UBC will now host the Canada West Final Four next Fri. and Sat.

Despite the loss the Spartans will most likely continue their season as the Wild Card selection to join the three division title winners at the Canada West championship. The University of Calgary earned their spot tonight with a series sweep of the University of Alberta, while the Great Plains division final between Brandon and Regina will be decided tomorrow in game three.

Bryson Kool (Pitt Meadows, B.C.) with 14 points, eight rebounds and three blocks was the player of the game for the Thunderbirds. His defence gave the Spartans' forwards difficulty, while his inside presence helped free up UBC's outside shooters on the offensive end of the floor. UBC's Chris Dyck (Winnipeg) with 16 points and Josh Whyte (Calgary) with 12 points were also strong for the Thunderbirds.

For the Spartans Jacob Doerksen (Abbotsford, B.C.) led the way with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Louis Hurd (Spokane, Wash.) with 14 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists, Jamie Vaughan (Chilliwack, B.C.) with 10 points, eight rebounds and Ryan Froese (Winnipeg) with 10 points also had strong games for TWU.

Tonight the Spartans did not let the Thunderbirds start out with their notorious fast start. TWU and UBC were locked tight right from the start. And in a reversal of last night's contest the Thunderbirds had the rebounding edge 11-8, while the Spartans had the foul shooting edge 6-6 to 1-2. The end result was a 16-15 Spartan lead after 10 minutes of play. UBC was considerably better from the field in the opening frame hitting for 46 percent (7-15) to TWU's 25 percent (4-16).

In the second quarter the Thunderbirds took advantage of an ice cold Spartans to go on a 13-4 run to lead 28-20 six minutes into the quarter. In fact until Froese hit a jumper with just over a minute remaining in the half TWU had shot an abysmal 1-11 from the field. The good thing for the Spartans was that they continued to be strong from the foul line (14-16 in half) and only trailed by four points 35-31 at the break. UBC shot 44 percent (12-27) from the field, while TWU went farther south hitting for 24 percent (7-29). UBC was 9-12 from the foul line in the half. TWU's Hurd was the only player to hit double digits in scoring with 10 points.

The third quarter had the Thunderbirds look to run away with the contest. After Kyle Watson (Richmond, B.C.) hit a lay-up the home team had built an 11 point lead, 50-39 with two minutes remaining in the third quarter. But if anything Trinity Western has proved to be resilient. The Spartans outscored the Thunderbirds seven nothing to finish the quarter and trail 50-46 at the end of 30 minutes.

Trinity Western continued their strong play into the final frame. A transition lay-up by Doerksen followed by another transition lay-up by Hurd gave TWU a 52-50 lead two minutes into the quarter. The two teams went back and forth through the next five minutes and after a Doerksen lay-up TWU trailed 65-62 with 3:40 remaining. The next play seemed to turn the tide of the game as the Thunderbirds' Kool had a huge transition dunk to put the UBC fans into a frenzy. Vaughan got one point back for TWU on a foul shot, but then Dyck hit a deep three from the left corner to put UBC up and virtually seal the game, as the Thunderbirds finished with a 15-2 run.

Trinity Western finished shooting 28.8 percent (17-59) from the field, 24 percent (7-29) from the three point line and 85 percent (23-27) from the foul line, while UBC finished at 49 percent (27-55), 41 percent (7-17) and 70 percent (19-27) respectively.

Game Notes: The Thunderbirds had the edge in rebounding, 37-32 and assists 16-8...outside of Doerksen and Froese who combined for 10-20 the rest of the Spartans struggled from the field and finished a combined 7-39 (18 percent)...In four post season meetings UBC is a combined 8-2 over TWU, to win all four match-ups...the selection of the Canada West Wild Card is based on a nine point criteria, which include: head to head, final top ten ranking, Canada West winning percentage and record in the division final. TWU is a head in most of the criteria when compared with Alberta, Regina and Brandon...Provided TWU is selected Spartan Web Radio, which broadcasted tonight's game, will also broadcast the Trinity Western game next week from the Canada West Final Four...

-TW-

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