SASKATOON – A night after losing for the first time in conference play this season, the No. 2 ranked UBC Thunderbirds bounced back to win 83-74 over the Saskatchewan Huskies Saturday night on Ron & Jane Graham Centre Court at the PAC.
 
UBC shot 45.5 percent for the game and knocked down 5-of-12 attempts from three in the second half to earn its ninth win of the season. The Huskies drop to 6-4 with the loss.
 
Saskatchewan started strong on Saturday night building up a six point lead with less than three minutes to go in the first quarter. The T-Birds made a late push in the quarter to finish on a 10-2 run to take a 21-19 lead into the second.

.@UBC holds @HuskieAthletics to 13pts in the 2nd frame. Morgan leads the TBirds with 15pts with drives like these ??

UBC 44 - SASK 32 ?? pic.twitter.com/0WtSs5r89k

— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) January 8, 2017

 
After the teams traded points in the opening minutes of the second the No. 2 ranked team in the country would begin to make its move. Another strong spurt to end the half, a 10-2 run just like in the first quarter, gave UBC a 44-32 advantage at halftime.
 
It was more of the same in the second half as the T-Birds extended the lead to 23 midway through the frame. A late push by the Huskies to slightly close the gap before the quarter was out would set up some intrigue for the hometown fans down the stretch.
 
Saskatchewan continued to chip away at the lead in the fourth, knocking it back down to single digits with under four minutes to go. UBC showed why they are a top ranked team by quickly increasing the lead back to 15 with back-to-back three-pointers. The Huskies would not give up down the stretch getting to as close as six points before the T-Birds could ice the game at the free throw line.

Another close game for @UBC men's ?? as Will Ondrik beats the buzzer with the put-back basket to end the 1st quarter #GoBirdsGo pic.twitter.com/OrOXRSnsgN

— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) January 8, 2017

 
UBC was led by Conor Morgan's 30 points on 11-for-19 (4-9 3PT FG) shooting night. Taylor Browne added another 11 off the bench for the T-Birds. Jordan Jensen-Whyte led the team with eight rebounds and six assists to go along with his seven points. 
 
Shane Osayande finished just two rebounds shy of a double-double while leading the Huskies with 20 points. Matt Forbes and Alex Unruh scored another 16 points for Saskatchewan.
 
UBC hosts the Alberta Golden Bears next weekend, while Saskatchewan hits the road to face the Lethbridge Pronghorns.