VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds men's basketball team held off a late charge from the visiting Lakehead Thunderwolves to win 84-81 in non-conference action Saturday night at War Memorial Gymnasium in Vancouver.
“It was a battle of small ball tonight with both teams missing two starting posts,” said UBC head coach
Kevin Hanson. “We played a very sloppy game and once again bad turnovers hurt us. We were up 18 with 4:35 left and then had some really bad turnovers and fouls and gave up several and-one's that allowed them to cut the lead in a hurry.”
“We will focus on those mistakes this week and try to correct things. It did provide our young guys a chance to play some key minutes in a tight ending game. The bottom line is another preseason is over and now its time to start conference play.”
Doug Plumb (Pitt Meadows, BC), who led his team with 19 points on Saturday, with hit a layup with 4:35 left in the fourth quarter to put UBC up 77-59, the team's biggest lead of the game.
But Lakehead then scored 20 of the next 24 points over 4:09 to close to within two points.
Dwayne Harvey and Ben Johnson recorded eight points each in the late run by the visitors.
Harvey made six foul shots while Johnson's highlight play came with 1:05 left in the game. He stole the ball from UBC, made the ensuing layup and got foul in the process. Johnson then made the free throw to cut the T-Birds' lead to 81-74.
UBC made three of four foul shots after seeing its lead dwindle to just two points with 24 seconds to go in the game.
Geoff Pippus (Colorado Springs, Colorado) blocked a last gasp three-point shot by Harvey that would have tied the game.
UBC took a five-point lead into the first quarter break, and after Lakehead's Matt Schmidt hit a three-pointer to open the second, the Thunderbirds went on an 11-2 run, with
O'Brian Wallace (Toronto, ON) scoring five of his 17 total points to go up 26-15.
Lakehead spent the rest of the game playing catch-up. They trailed 38-29 at the half. Every time the Thunderwolves got close, the 'Birds had a response.
After Lakehead started the third quarter with five consecutive points to close to 38-34, UBC went on a 9-2 spurt to go back up by double digits.
Lakehead closed to 60-52 towards the end of the third but UBC replied with an 11-2 run that bridged the third and the fourth quarters, capped off by a
Conor Morgan (Victoria, BC) three-point basket.
Tommy Nixon (Vancouver, BC) also had 17 points for the home team, while
David Wagner (Kamloops, BC) chipped in with 13 points and nine rebounds for UBC.
The Thunderbirds made 25 of 35 foul shots and outrebounded their opponents 45-34.
UBC will open Canada West regular season play with two games, Nov. 2-3, at Trinity Western.
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