Scheduled Game: THOMPSON RIVERS*

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GAME RESULTS 1 2 3 4 T Thompson Rivers 20 18 27 16 81 « FINAL Trinity Western 15 17 20 24 76

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Game Recap

MENS BASKETBALL (CANADA WEST)
SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2010
TWU SPARTANS (76) VS THE THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY WOLFPACK (81)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPARTANS RALLY FALLS SHORT

LANGLEY, British Columbia – Thompson Rivers University point guard Sean Garvey of Kamloops, B.C. hit for an impressive 37 points as he helped the WolfPack hold of the Trinity Western University Spartans and claim a 81-76 victory Saturday night at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, B.C.

The win moves the WolfPack to 3-13, while the loss drops the Spartans to 9-6. TWU forward Jacob Doerksen of Abbotsford, B.C. with 23 points and 11 rebounds and guard Louis Hurd of Spokane, Wash. with 21 points led the Spartans in the losing cause. In addition to Garvey the WolfPack had strong performances from guard Drew Bleth of Ridgefield, Wash. with 16 points and centre Greg Stewart of Kamloops, B.C. with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

The WolfPack came out on fire to start the game. Before the seats were warm at the LEC, TRU had built an eight to nothing lead on four for six shooting from the field. The Spartans battled to come back and at the end of the first quarter had cut the lead to five points, trailing 20-15. Thompson Rivers continued to have the advantage in play in the second quarter and finished the first half with a 38-32 lead. Garvey finished the first half with 15 points to lead TRU, while guard Tonner Jackson of White Rock, B.C. and Doerksen led the Spartans with nine points each.

Thompson Rivers was just as strong in the third quarter as they extended their lead to 13 points by outscoring Trinity Western 27-20 to take a 65-52 lead going into the fourth quarter.

The Spartans found their offence in the fourth quarter and when Jackson hit a lay-up with just over three minutes remaining TWU had gone on a 17-4 run to tie the game at 69-69. The two teams exchanged baskets and then Garvey put the dagger in the hopes of the Spartans with back-to-back three pointers to give the WolfPack a six point lead, 77-71, with one and a half minutes remaining. TWU’s Hurd hit a three with a minute left to make it a three point game, but 30 seconds later Garvey was at it again with a baseline runner to put TWU up five, 79-74. Hurd took the inbounds past and went coast-to-coast to score the runner as the Spartans trailed by three points, 79-76 with 27 seconds remaining. The WolfPack then worked the clock down and off of an inbounds play found Stewart for the uncontested dunk to seal the TRU victory.

The Spartans now have their backs against the wall when it comes to a post season spot. For TWU to guarantee themselves a spot in the play-offs they need to sweep the Fraser Valley Cascades next weekend. Game times at UFV in Abbotsford, B.C. are scheduled for 8 p.m. on Fri. Feb. 5 and Sat. Feb. 6.

Tonight’s game was broadcasted live on SpartanTV at gospartans.ca.

Game Notes: TWU had a slight edge in rebounding at 38-36...the hot shooting WolfPack finished the night hitting 51.8 percent (29-56) from the field, an uncanny 52.4 percent (11-21) from the three point line and 70.6 percent (12-17) from the foul line, while the Spartans shot 36.6 percent (26-71), 35.1 percent (13-37) and 73.3 percent (11-15) respectively...TWU forward Tyrell Mara of White Rock, B.C. missed tonight’s game with an ankle injury. He is day-to-day and expected to be ready for UFV next weekend...tonight’s game was Doerksen’s sixth double-double of the season...

-TW-

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