Scheduled Game: BRITISH COLUMBIA*

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GAME RESULTS 1 2 3 4 T British Columbia 15 15 12 13 55 « FINAL Trinity Western 9 18 19 6 52

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Game Recap

Women's Basketball (Canada West)
Thursday, January 08, 2009
TWU Spartans (52) vs. the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds (55)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPARTANS DROP TIGHT BATTLE TO THUNDERBIRDS

LANGLEY, British Columbia - the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds came into Trinity Western University's David E. Enarson Gym Thursday night and squeaked out a hard fought 55-52 victory over the Spartans. The Spartans had the edge in a number of categories, but the Thunderbirds shot better from the field to improve to 6-8, while dropping TWU to 8-6. With the win UBC takes the season series 2-1.

TWU took 22 more shots than UBC, but it was the Thunderbirds field goal accuracy that made the difference, as UBC finished at 44 percent to TWU's 30 percent.

The Spartans scored the first bucket of the game, but then the visiting Thunderbirds went on a 13-2 run to take a 13-4 lead with just over three minutes remaining in the opening quarter. TWU used a mini 5-2 run to cut the UBC lead to six points, 15-9 at the end of the first ten minutes. It was not the best of starts for the Spartans as they shot 1-13 to start the contest.

TWU got things turned around in the second quarter. Paced by Lindsey Gustafson's (Mission, B.C.) eight second quarter points the Spartans outscored the Thunderbirds 18-15 to make it a three point game 30-27 for UBC at the half. Lauren Doubroff (Surrey, B.C.) with eight points and four rebounds also had a strong half for TWU, while UBC's Candace Morisset (Langley, B.C.) led all scorers with ten points.

The Thunderbirds looked to take control to start the second half. Led by Zara Huntley (Halifax) UBC took an eight point lead, 39-31 with six and a half minutes remaining. Over the next three minutes it was all TWU. The Spartans used an 11-3 run to take a 42-40 lead with three minutes remaining. TWU kept going as back-to-back baskets by Laura Craig (Delta, B.C.) and Jordan Verhoeff (Calgary) - at the buzzer, gave the Spartans a 46-42 lead at the end of the third quarter.

The fourth quarter was a defensive battle to start. Neither team could find the bottom of the basket until UBC's Devan Lisson (Fredericton) hit two foul shots to make it a two point game 46-44, for TWU, with 5:30 remaining in the game. Then UBC's Lia St. Pierre (Moncton) hit an old-fashioned three-point play to give the Thunderbirds the lead, 49-48 with 5:30 remaining. The teams exchanged baskets down the stretch as UBC held on to a 54-52 lead with 30 seconds remaining. TWU got the stop that they needed, but missed two open looks before a turnover with 27 seconds remaining gave UBC the ball back. The Spartans Craig fouled the Thunderbirds Leanne Evans (Port Moody, B.C.) to put her on the line. Evans missed both to give TWU the ball trailing by two points, 54-52.

UBC had only one team foul and with three fouls to use before putting TWU on the line the Thunderbirds used fouls to prevent the Spartans from getting their offence going. UBC's defence forced a TWU turnover with three seconds left and the Spartans fouled UBC's Lisson to get ball back. Lisson made one to give UBC a 55-52 lead with three seconds remaining. The Spartans Craig missed a fade-away three pointer at the buzzer to give UBC the three point victory.

Doubroff with 16 points and nine rebounds, Gustafson with 11 points and Craig with ten points, five assists and five steals led the Spartans, while Evans with 13 points, Morisset with 12 points, three assists and three steals and Zara Huntley with 11 points and 11 rebounds led the Thunderbirds.

Next up for the Spartans is the University of Victoria Vikes. Game time on Sat. Jan. 10 at TWU is set for 6 p.m. Next up for the Thunderbirds is the Simon Fraser University Clan on Saturday night on Burnaby Mountain.

Game Notes: The Spartans had the edge in rebounding 43 to 35 and 22 to nine on offensive end...UBC had 27 turnovers to TWU's 23...the Thunderbirds went 10-19 from the foul line, with the Spartans went 7-9...TWU shot 21-69 from the field, while UBC shot 21-47...in their last meeting at UBC, TWU defeated the Thunderbirds 54-48...

-TW-

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