Scheduled Game: SIMON FRASER*

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GAME RESULTS 1 2 3 4 T Simon Fraser 17 17 26 23 83 « FINAL Trinity Western 14 11 18 13 56

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Game Recap

Women’s Basketball (Canada West)
Saturday, February 10, 2007
TWU Spartans (56) vs. the Simon Fraser University Clan (83)

SPARTANS FALL TO CLAN IN LAST GAME OF THE SEASON
-SFU finishes second in Canada West

LANGLEY, British Columbia – For the Trinity Western University Spartans (6-18) their fate was already sealed for the season on Saturday night at the David E. Enarson Gym - they were out of the playoff race and this was their last game of the season. On the other hand, the Simon Fraser University Clan (22-2) were still in the hunt for first place in Canada West along with UBC, who hosted UCFV tonight. A Clan win coupled with a T-Bird loss would give the Clan top spot in the Pacific division and Canada West. Needless to say, TWU was hoping to play spoiler.

In the early stages of the game, the Spartans appeared to be on the right track as they were not giving the Clan anything easy and played them point for point for most of the first. The Clan built up a modest lead in the second, but the Spartans were still very much in the game. However, the second half was all SFU as their strength and size prevailed as they went on to defeat TWU 83-56.

“I thought we competed hard in the first half and made some good stops defensively, we didn’t shoot the ball particularly well but we still hit some shots we needed. But in the second half we just didn’t take care of the ball; didn’t value our possessions and spent a little too much time on defense,” said Head Coach Danielle Gardner.

The first quarter had the appearance of a pre-season game with the teams trading turnovers and missed lay-ups in the opening minutes. Once the players settled into the game, it turned into an exchange of baskets as there were several lead changes throughout. It was the Clan who held a slight edge at the end of the first as they led 17-14.

In the second, the Clan began to slowly build on their modest lead and outscored the Spartans 17-11 in the frame. By the end of the first half the Clan had stretched the margin to nine, 34-25.

The first half featured a balanced attack from both sides as neither team had a player in double figure scoring. Second year point guard Lisa Tindle (Vancouver) led all players with eight points while the Spartans were led by post Heather Van Wieren (Walnut Grove, B.C.) with six.

The second half was a whole different game.

TWU cut the lead to five off of four points from fifth year, forward Randi French (Richmond, B.C.), playing in her last game, and two free throws from Becky Atkinson (Delta, B.C.), but that is the closest they would get as SFU caught fire and went on a 24-12 run to close out the third quarter and take charge of the game (60-43).

The Clan really flexed their muscles in the fourth as they continued their strong shooting and scored seven consecutive points in the first minute and a half of the final quarter. TWU attempted to rally coming out of a time-out at the 8:10 mark, but Lisa Tindle nailed a three to bring TWU’s modest 4-0 run to a halt. The Spartans hurt themselves with turnovers and defensive break downs and by the end of the fourth the Clan had stretched their lead to 27 to win the game 86-53.

In their last games as a Spartan, Randi French finished with eight points and five rebounds, while Kelly Konrad (Mt. Lehman, B.C) tallied eight points, two rebounds, and one assist. Kimber Peters (Mansfield Wash.) had 10 points to lead TWU to go along with six rebounds. SFU post Laurelle Weigl (Stony Plain, Atla.) and guard Brea McLaughlin shared the game high points total as they each registered 21 points. Weigl also added a game high nine rebounds while teammate Lani Gibbons (Salmon Arm, B.C.) led all players with five assists.

“The season has been one of extreme highs and extreme lows but the biggest thing for us to make the turn is just consistency. We have proven that we can play with good teams, but we have also proven that we can be beat by other teams, we need to work on playing well game in and game out,” commented Gardner on her teams’ overall performance this season. As for how she plans to fill the whole left from her graduating players, she added that “both [Kelly and Randi] bring a lot to our team and we are going to have a whole to fill from the experience they brought so our younger players will need step up next season.”

Despite the SFU victory, they will finish second in the Pacific division and Canada West due to UBC beating UCFV, 86-65, in their game tonight. Canada West playoffs kick-off on Thursday, February 15 at various locations which will be announced early this week.

Game Notes: SFU went 31 for 60 from the field for 51.7% compared to TWU at 23 for 60 for 38.3%...The Spartans committed 27 turnovers, to the Clans’ 19...TWU out rebounded SFU 41-33...From the three point line the Spartans were zero for six, while the Clan shot eight for 24 (33.3%).

-TW-
-Jamie Born, Sports Information Assistant

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