VANCOUVER – After a roller coaster first quarter the UBC Thunderbirds responded with much better execution the rest of the way en route to a 76-54 defeat of the visiting Lethbridge Pronghorns Friday at War Memorial Gym.
Keylyn Filewich led the way for the T-Birds recording a double double with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Hailey Counsel added 17 points and six rebounds while
Jessica Hanson also chipped in with 11 points, 5 rebounds and five assists helping the 'Birds extend their winning streak to four straight games while improving to 6-3 on the season.
Leading the way for Lethbridge was Kacie Bosch with 17 points and eight rebounds while Jessica Haenni added 10 points and four rebounds as the Pronghorns fell to 5-4 on the campaign
"We spoke about details that we needed to pay attention to against them," said UBC head coach
Deb Huband. "I think as we progressed into the second quarter we did a very good job of executing our game plan. Allowing just the two points in the second quarter was a part of it because they're a dynamic team and can score in specific ways, it was important to us that we took some of those primary looks away."
The T-Birds jumped out to a good start on home court in building up an early 17-13 lead but the Pronghorns quickly caught fire to turn the tide beginning with three pointers in quick succession from Isabel Rattai and Bosch to give Lethbridge a 21-17 advantage. The visitors would score the final 10 points to close out the quarter with a 23-17 lead. Bosch led the way with 10 points thanks to four of six shooting from the field while also making both of her three-point attempts. Haenni chipped in with another six points for Lethbridge while Hailey Counsel had the T-Birds high with six points.
After closing out the opening quarter on a cold streak the 'Birds came out with impressive execution in the second frame, scoring the first 20 points before Rattai replied with the lone basket for the Pronghorns with 1:28 remaining to trail 37-25. Leading the way for the T-Birds resurgence were veterans Filewich and Hanson with seven points each while Counsell and
Dina Strujic added four points each as the hosts outscored Lethbridge 27-2 to take a 44-25 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter the T-Birds continued to be paced by Filewich who poured in another 11 points in the post and had completed her second three-point play midway through the frame to make it 54-30.
Maddison Penn contributed five points in her first action of the season coming back from injury helping the 'Birds build a 63-38 lead after three quarters. Bosch and Alexa Pobitzer each scored three points for the Pronghorns.
In the final frame, it was Counsell who set the pace for the T-Birds with seven points to help secure the 76-54 victory. The Pronghorns outscored UBC 16-13 in the quarter with the highlight play coming from Kansas Long who sliced down the lane for an acrobatic looping layup to pull within 68-52.
The T-Birds and Pronghorns meet in the rematch tomorrow night with a 5:00 p.m. tipoff at War Memorial Gym.
