VANCOUVER -
Josh Whyte scored 18 points and had 10 rebounds in 23 minutes as the reigning CIS player of the year led the UBC Thunderbirds to a 91-60 win over the Saskatchewan Huskies in a re-match of last year's CIS national final at War Memorial Gym.
BOX SCORE
Whyte was one of seven T-Birds to score eight or more points, as the T-Birds used their depth and up tempo style to unsettle the Huskies. Saskatchewan shot just 24-of-80 (30.0%) from the field including 2-of-22 (9.1%) from three-point land.
Although the win had many hallmarks of a classic UBC victory, such as no player seeing more than 25 minutes of court time, it was a pair of performances from lesser profiled 'Birds that proved the biggest difference as UBC avenged their 91-81 loss to the Huskies in last year's championship game.
Balraj Bains, a 6-foot-9 post, made the first major impact in the game for the T-Birds, entering late in the first quarter to try and stem the Huskies dominance in the paint.
Saskatchewan had scored 18 of their 22 points in the paint to that point but with Bains in the game, UBC went on a commanding 26-4 run through the second quarter to lead 44-26 at the half. The Huskies did not score a point in the paint with the lanky Bains patrolling the middle for UBC.
"I thought Balraj probably played his best basketball as a Thunderbird even though he didn't score a point," said UBC head coach
Kevin Hanson of Bains, who ended with five rebounds, five blocks, and three steals. "He rebounded and when he had to guard the point on switches he did a fantastic job. In that second quarter he was just outstanding."
The Huskies showed their grit in the third quarter, responding with a solid push despite only scoring four points in the second frame. Saskatchewan newcomer Jamelle Barrett, who led the visitors with 17 points, hit a pair of free throws with just over a minute left in the third quarter to cut UBC's lead to 14 but before they could close the gap any further,
Melvyn Mayott had a furious finish to the frame which essentially sealed the win.
With only one second left on the shot clock, Mayott hit a deep three to extend UBC's lead to 66-49 with 42 seconds left in the third. He proceeded to block Barrett's lay-up attempt on the next Saskatchewan possession and with time expiring in the frame, Mayott nailed a three from the corner in front of the UBC bench to make it 69-49.
UBC put the game away with a solid fourth quarter that saw them double up the Huskies 22-11.
Nathan Yu added 14 off the bench for UBC. Starters
Alex Murphy and
Doug Plumb also hit double figures for UBC with 11 and 10 points each. The T-Birds were a combined 31-of-71 (45.1%) from the floor but really had their stroke going from long range making 12-of-24 (50.0%) three-point attempts.
Michael Lieffers notched a double-double for the visitors with 11 points and a game-high 17 rebounds while fellow starter Nolan Brudehl chipped in 11 points and seven boards. Saskatchewan, however, lacked scoring from their second unit with only 14 bench points compared to 37 for UBC.
With game one against their rivals from the Prairies under their belt, Hanson knows it will be a tough battle again tomorrow as the team's meet as part of Canada West's new schedule that has opponent's playing back-to-back nights.
"We addressed this during the week. You have to be prepared to play two games back-to-back because so often it's the team that loses Friday that comes back with that little bit of an edge. Really, it's a lot about the psychological preparation. This one is done, we just need to refocus for tomorrow."
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