Saturday 1 December 2007

Vikes explode UBC's home streak with win in Vancouver

Victoria (9-2) 92, #2 UBC (9-2) 76 The Vikes halted UBC's 28 game home court winning streak by shooting 57% from the floor including 12-21 from three point land before 1,050 fans in Vancouver. 6'4" freshman Ryan MacKinnon had a career-high 20 points on 4-7 3's and added 7 assists in the win, Victoria's first over a quality opponent this season. MacKinnon's personal 7-0 run to end the first half gave Victoria a 12 point lead at the break. The Vikes move into a tie for first place in Canada West Pacific Division in advance of tonight's second game between the two teams at UBC's gym. The loss was UBC's first at home in almost 3 years. 6'7" Mitch Gudgeon added 18 points and 7 rebounds for the Vikes who led comfortably by 19 points at 70-51 after three quarters and had leads as large as 22 points. Victoria/UBC Box Score Courtesy of Mike Tucker, UVic Sports Information... Vikes take road victory from no. 2 T-birds; VANCOUVER - Entering Friday night's game the UVic Vikes were winless in six games against top ten opponents. Thankfully that trend changed with the Vikes knocking off the no. 2 ranked UBC Thunderbirds 92-76, also ending the T-birds 28-game homecourt win streak. The Vikes forced a two-way tie for first place in the Canada West's Pacific Division, after handing UBC their first homecourt conference loss in 28 games. Ironically, the last time the T-birds lost a regular season game at War Memorial Gymnasium was on January 28, 2005 with a 110-106 overtime loss to the Vikes. The Vikes' offense couldn't have been more in sync, establishing new season highs with 92 points, 56.7 percent shooting, and making 12 three-pointers. Meanwhile, on the defensive end the Vikes held the league's top-ranked offense to 14 points off their season average. Freshman guard Ryan MacKinnon had the biggest game of his young career with a season high 20 points, behind four three-pointers, and also dishing out seven assists. MacKinnon sparked the Vikes with seven unanswered points to close out the first half, and give the Vikes a 41-29 heading into halftime. Earlier, the Vikes had opened the second quarter with 11 unanswered points. Fourth-year forward Tyler Hass highlighted the game-changing run with tomahawk dunk, following three balls from Mitch Gudgeon and Brandon Dunlop. The Vikes success extended into the second half, and pulled ahead by as many 22 points. In addition to MacKinnon, three other Vikes realized double figures in scoring. Gudgeon totaled 18 points, Hass contributed 15 points, and Dunlop finished with 12 points. UBC was led by Chris Dyck, who scored 21 points in a losing effort. The T-birds finished the night shooting 46.6 percent, and made six three-pointers. First-place in the Pacific-Division will be decid! ed Satur day night, when the Vikes' two-game road series concludes at War Memorial Gymnasium. Both sides have identical records of 9-2, with Saturday night's contest the finale before the winter exam break. Tip-off is 8 p.m.

#6 Calgary (8-1) 104, Saskatchewan 69 6'6" Henry Bekkering's dunk started a game-deciding 20-4 run to finish the second quarter giving Calgary the lead for good at 31-30, and the Dinos cruised from there to hammer the Huskies. Saskatchewan/Calgary Box Score Courtesy of Ban Matchett, Calgary Sports Info HUSKIES NO MATCH FOR DOMINANT DINOSCALGARY – The Calgary Dinos (8-1) extended their winning streak to six games Friday while holding perennial All-Canadian Andrew Spagrud to single digits as they soundly defeated the Saskatchewan Huskies (5-4) 104-69 in the Jack Simpson Gym. Henry Bekkering (4th year, Taber, Alta.) led a parade of Dinos two record double-digit points with 23 to go with eight boards as the Dinos received 46 points from their bench in the dominant win. The game was another example of Calgary’s ability to win in multiple fashions. Previous wins came through tough defence, excellent free throw shooting, or dominant play inside; Friday’s win was all about a 57 per cent field goal average – a season high for the team. “We really don’t have a ‘typical’ game,” said Calgary coach Dan Vanhooren. “The only consistent thing that we do is get the ball inside and use our size. We’ve been emphasizing that all year and it’s been benefiting us in major ways. “We get teams like this in foul trouble and it opens up perimeter shots. Tonight our shooting percentage was really the key.” Calgary opened the game with sloppy play as the Huskies roared out to an 8-2 lead early. A trey from Tyler Fidler (1st, Calgary) gave the Dinos their first lead of the game, opening up a 10-1 run to end the opening quarter with Calgary up 22-14. The game saw four more lead changes in the second quarter as the Huskies maintained pace with the Dinos thanks to the play of Kyle Grant (5th, Moose Jaw), who had 16 points in the opening half. A Bekkering dunk put Calgary ahead for good at 31-30, and freshman point guard Andrew Champagnie took over from there. Champagnie (1st, Edmonton) had the best game of his young CIS career, putting on a clinic late in the first 20. He had six points and two assists in the final three minutes as Calgary went on a 12-2 run to end the second quarter, taking a commanding 49-34 lead into the half. “Andrew was the player of the game in my mind,” said Vanhooren. “With his defensive play and getting that penetration on offence, he really keyed up our team. He was just fantastic tonight.” Champagnie finished the night with 11 points, three assists, and two steals in just 13 minutes’ work. Spagrud finally came alive in the third quarter, scoring all nine of his points the frame. He finished with five rebounds to go with his nine points, season-lows in both categories. The senior returned to the line-up Friday night after sitting out the Huskies’ last game against the Lethbridge Pronghorns with an ankle injury. With both Spagrud and Grant in foul trouble, Calgary continued to shoot the ball extremely well, approaching a 60 per cent clip in the second half. A 73-49 third quarter lead became a 104-69 final as the Calgary bench put it away in the fourth. Robbie Sihota (3rd, Calgary) drained 17 points for Calgary, while Jeremy Odland (5th, Calgary) and Fidler had 10 each in addition to Champagnie’s 11. Grant, meanwhile, was the only Huskie to hit double digits with 19, while Mac Fairbairn (1st, North Vancouver) matched Spagrud’s nine-point output. As a team the Huskies managed only 36 per cent shooting from the field and 57 per cent from the line, compared to Calgary’s 57 and 90, respectively. The teams go at it again Saturday night, where Vanhooren expects to see a different Saskatchewan team. “We have to re-focus and make sure the guys are ready,” he said. “They are a good team with a lot of pride and they’re going to come at us tomorrow.” From Dinos alumnus Wayne Thomas... Huskies Brought To Heel By Dino Barrage It was supposed to be a clash of Divisional contenders as the U of S Huskies, winners of 6 of their last 7 games with the Dinos, came visiting Friday in Calgary, but the 'Dogs were sent away howling as the Dinos unleashed a 20-4 late 2nd quarter run and kenneled the visitors 104-69. Up 49-34 at the half on the strength of Robbie Sihota's 15 first half points, Calgary extended the lead to 73-49 after 3/4s, and rang up 31 pts. mostly with their bench in the final frame. Sihota finished with 17 and 7 rebounds, as Saskatchewan was outshot 57 % to 37 % on the night, and out-rebounded 40-24. Henry Bekkering was a force for the Dinos racking up 23 points and snaring 8 rebounds, while his brother Ross spent most of the night on the bench with foul trouble. 'Saving myself for Saturday", commented Ross, "All I care is that we win." Once again it was an impressive display of depth from the Dinos who have now won 6 straight and run their Canada West record to 8-1, while the Huskies drop to 5-4. Impressive off the bench tonight were 1st year guards Tyler Fidler, with 10 pts, 6 boards, and 3 assists, and Andrew Champagnie, whose defensive quickness stifled Saskatchewan as AC counted 11 points, 3 assists , and 2 steals. Josh Lovestone and Joe Schow also kept up their positive contributions off the bench scoring 15 pts. and grabbing 5 boards between them. Jeremy Odland had 10 pts, and Cody Darrah hit for a quiet 8. Most of the Dinos damage was done inside as Henry Bekkering, Schow, Sihota, and Lovestone took it to a shell-shocked pack of Huskies off the glass. Calgary went to the line for 17/19 free throws against 13/23 for Saskatchewan. The Huskies got 19 points from 5th year guard Kyle Grant, who was shooting well, but ran into foul trouble early in the 2nd half. All-Canadian Andrew Spagrud was held to only 9 points and 5 rebounds, both well below his season's averages. These teams play again Saturday at 8:00 pm in their final game before the exam break. Other Scores ... Alberta 114 at Lethbridge 70; Manitoba 75 at Regina 73; Victoria 92 at UBC 76; SFU 69 at Thompson Rivers 64

Fraser Valley (5-6) 70, Trinity Western (3-8) 64 The Cascades rode a 25-11 second quarter and a 28 points from Lee Jackson to defeat the Spartans. Jackson went 4 for 8 from downtown and had 5 steals in ensuring Fraser Valley keeps pace with the red-hot Simon Fraser Clan in the battle for third place in the Pacific Division of Canada West Fraser Valley/Trinity Western Box Score

Simon Fraser (6-5) 69, Thompson Rivers (1-10) 64 The Clan overcame a two-point deficit after three quarters to win on the road, their sixth win in their past 7 games. 6'8" Greg Wallis again was the difference, scoring 21 points and grabbing 7 boards while 6'5" sophomore Kamar Burke continues to produce impressive performances, scoring 25 points and grabbing 8 rebounds in a losing cause for the Wolfpack. Simon Fraser/Thompson Rivers Box Score

Alberta (6-3) 114, Lethbridge 70 (0-9) The Bears built up a 20 point lead at 34-14 after one quarter, cruising to an easy win over the winless Pronghorns in front of 1,091 fans at Lethbridge. Alberta had six players in double figures led by 6'2" Alex Steele with 26 points. Alberta/Lethbridge Box Score

Manitoba (1-8) 75, Regina (4-5) 73 6'2" Isaac Ansah had 26 points and Myron Dean blocked a last second three point attempt by Jeff Lukomski as the Bisons won their first of the season with a nice road win at Regina. Regina shot just 39% for the game including 6-27 from downtown as the Bisons erased a 9 point halftime deficit with a 32-18 third quarter run. Manitoba/Regina Box Score Story from Regina Sports Info Bisons steal victory with last second block

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