VANCOUVER - A pair of big scoring runs just before and after halftime for the Winnipeg Wesmen proved to be the difference on Friday, as they downed the UBC Thunderbirds 71-61 at War Memorial Gym to remain perfect at 4-0 on the year.
Winnipeg's first run began around the mid-point of the second quarter, when Alex MacIver and the Wesmen began to control the action in the paint. UBC had forged ahead 23-19, but they would soon lose the lead permanently, as MacIver poured in seven points in the next three minutes to lead Winnipeg on a 12-0 run. They would take a 31-25 lead into halftime.
The T-Birds began to fight back early in the second half, but a devastating stretch of less than two minutes in the third quarter crushed their momentum. UBC was down just 35-32 when Winnipeg's Kaitlin Rempel hit her shot while being fouled with 5:05 left in the third quarter. She missed her free throw, but the Wesmen grabbed the rebound and Caitlin Gooch hit a three-pointer to make it a five-point trip down the court for the visitors. Gooch then hit another three on their next trip, extending the lead to double digits, and the T-Birds never got closer than seven points behind the rest of the way.
"We gave up way too many points. There's no way we should be giving up over 70 points," said UBC head coach
Deb Huband. "That's more than Winnipeg averages, and our defence was just too kind. We won't be in position to be successful if our defence doesn't sharpen up."
Gooch led the Wesmen with 15 points, and was half of a deadly three-point duo, along with Ashleigh Chicklowski. They both went 3-for-5 on three-pointers for the night. Amy Ogidan chipped in 14 points and gave the UBC defence fits with her ability to drive to the basket consistently. MacIver also finished with 14 points and tied for the team rebounding lead with five boards.
Zara Huntley led the T-Birds with 15 points, while adding five rebounds and two blocks.
Alex Vieweg had a game-high seven rebounds to go with 12 points.
Winnipeg shot 49.1% from the field and 40% from three-point range. The T-Birds were 37.1% field goal shooters, and hit just 13.6% of their threes.
"Winnipeg has a unique style of play and there is lots open out there but you have to hit your shots, and when you don't it can get in your head," said Huband. "Our forwards were tentative whether their bigs were on the floor or not, and our shooters were tentative because they missed shots early. Whenever you can tip the scales in your favour by making the other team tentative you have a good chance of winning the game."
The UBC falls to 3-4 with the loss, while Winnipeg is still unbeaten at 4-0. The T-Birds will look to get back to .500 and put the first blemish on the Wesmen's record tomorrow when the teams meet for game two of the series. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. at War Memorial Gym.
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