BRANDON - In what has become their trademark fashion, the UBC Thunderbirds used a stifling defensive effort in the second and third quarters en route to a 64-51 win over the Brandon Bobcats.
The victory stretches the T-Birds current win streak to nine games and with an 12-5 record, they have moved to within a game and a half of a home playoff date. Brandon (0-15) remains winless on the season.
For the second consecutive contest it was
Lia St. Pierre who led the T-Birds offensive effort, finishing with a game high 17 points.
Alex Vieweg just missed a double-double, ending the game with 13 points and a game best nine rebounds.
The hosts were paced by Amanda Fortin and Kelsey Solarchuk who finished with 10 points apiece. Chantel Gaslard added a team-high eight rebounds off the bench for the hosts.
Early on it was Brandon setting the pace and they jumped out to a 17-15 lead through one quarter. The T-Birds took over after that, holding the Bobcats to only 16 points through the next two quarters.
UBC came out in the second frame on a 6-0 to put their stamp on the game and then an 8-0 run, which was capped off by a Vieweg lay-in, had the 'Birds ahead 31-20 midway through the quarter.
Brandon did close the gap over the final three minutes of the half with a 6-0 that feature four straight free throws by Gaslard, her only points on the evening.
Leading just 31-26 at the break, UBC finally pulled away for good thanks to a dominant seven minute stretch in the third quarter. After the Bobcats had pulled to within four, the 'Birds went on a 17-2 run limiting the Bobcats to only a pair of free throws.
The Bobcats responded with a better effort in the fourth, outscoring UBC 18-12, but it was too little too late by that point.
UBC will have the chance to extend their win streak to double digits on Saturday in the re-match.
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