VANCOUVER - It was a game of momentum swings, as the UBC Thunderbirds (8-2) held off the Lethbridge Pronghorns (3-7) 88-80 to close out the calendar year on a six-game winning streak.
 
UBC's Grant Audu led all scorers with 19 points, adding five boards, while captain Jadon Cohee put up a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists. Manroop Clair totaled 17 points, five rebounds and four assists in the victory.

?? MBB | @ubctbirds close off the year with their sixth straight win defeating @UofLPronghorns. Final score 88-80. #GoBirdsGo pic.twitter.com/SAsRSydzg5

— UBC Thunderbirds / @UBCTBirds (@ubctbirds) December 1, 2019

 
Kyle Peterson cooled off after his red-hot shooting performance for Lethbridge Friday night, and finished 1 for 6 from beyond the arc with 17 points and a team-high six assists. Chad Oviatt notched a double-double for the Pronghorns with 14 points and 12 rebounds on 46% shooting.
 
"I thought both teams got a little bit tired in the end," said UBC head coach Kevin Hanson. "They continued to push, and once we built a big lead we became complacent and started worrying about the offensive end. We've got to make sure to stick to our defensive game plan. We talk about it at every timeout...and at some point we need everyone to buy into it. It needs to be the focal point of our season."


 
Keanu Funa hit a deep three for Lethbridge early in the first quarter, and Taylor Brown knocked down two triples of his own to give UBC an 17-16 edge. Cohee then found Lincoln Rosebush on an inbound play with 1.8 seconds remaining to go up 26-21 after the first quarter.
 
The Pronghorns continued to ramp up their defensive pressure in the second quarter and forced a series of T-Bird turnovers. Colton Gibb drained a three to bring Lethbridge within seven, before Peterson hit two free throws and Oviatt converted a UBC turnover to tie it up at 39-39. The 'Birds finally ended Lethbridge's 10-0 run with an Audu three to head into the half up 42-39.

?? MBB | After 2, @ubctbirds leads @UofLPronghorns 42-39 #GoBirdsGo pic.twitter.com/exMMKmkTuX

— UBC Thunderbirds / @UBCTBirds (@ubctbirds) December 1, 2019

 
The visitors scored 19 points off of turnovers and earned nine steals through the first 20 minutes of play, despite struggling to produce in their half court set.
 
UBC maintained a ten-point lead after a strong take to the rim by Grant Shephard, and Zack Moore went on a tear late in the third with a pair of corner threes and a smooth up-and-under finish at the buzzer to make it 70-53 after the third quarter.


 
Audu capped off a 14-0 UBC run with a three to extend the lead to 53-73 early in the fourth, and Cohee went coast-to-coast to make it 87-64 Thunderbirds. Despite being down over twenty, the Pronghorns didn't go down without a fight - rattling off a 16-1 run of their own to close out the game.
 
The Thunderbirds enter the winter break tied for second with the Calgary Dinos (8-0) for second in the Canada West, and Hanson knows his entire squad is ready for the rest.
 
"The holiday break should be great for us after a long pre-season stemming back to the summer when we had our overseas trip to Taiwan, so we're tired both mentally and physically. I think we need to rest up and get a little healthier, we're an exciting team and I'll think we'll use December to prepare and get better defensively and keep things going in the right direction."
 
UBC resumes their conference schedule on January 3, 2020 against the UFV Cascades in Abbotsford, while Lethbridge will also return to action on January 3 to host the Regina Cougars (4-6).