VANCOUVER - The UBC Thunderbirds shot an impressive 52 per cent from the field en route to a convincing 95-58 win over the Trinity Western Spartans Friday night at War Memorial Gym. With the victory T-Birds head coach Deb Huband pulled even with former UVic head coach Kathy Shields for the most all-time Canada West coaching wins, each with 337. Huband will have a chance to takeover top spot on the list with a victory on Saturday night when the two teams meet again on the Point Grey campus.
 
The T-Birds are on a roll having won seven of their last eight outings in improving to 9-4 on the season while the Spartans suffered a third straight setback to sit at 3-8 on the campaign.
 

?? WBB | A convincing 95-58 win for @UBCWBBall over @TWUSpartans.

With the victory @DebHuband draws even with former UVic coach Kathy Shields for most all-time @CanadaWest coaching wins with 337.

The teams meet again Saturday at 5pm at War Memorial Gym. #GoBirdsGo pic.twitter.com/awGcVMkRBW

— UBC Thunderbirds / @UBCTBirds (@ubctbirds) January 11, 2020

Jessica Hanson scored a game-high 24 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists for UBC while Keylyn Filewich added 21 points and nine rebounds. Hailey Counsell chipped in with 11 points, six assists and six rebound. Setting the pace for TWU was Kianna Wiens with 19 points while Jayden Gill and Julia Marshall added 12 points each.
 
"I think it was an outstanding overall team performance," said Huband. "Offensively and defensively and I think we came ready to play and hungry after a good week of practice with (assistant coaches) Carrie Watts and Shaun McGuinness holding down the fort in my absence. I also liked our shooting efficiency and I think when you share the ball, move the ball, make good reads you can create some easier looks and we took advantage by being sharp from the start."
 

The T-Birds jumped out to a quick start with Hanson pouring in four early points, Gabrielle Laguerta adding a three-pointer and Filewich scoring back-to-back buckets in the paint to take an 11-3 lead and causing the Spartans to call their first time out. Wiens was relied upon to offer much of the response from TWU in scoring eight of the first nine points for the visitors who trailed 21-9 late in the opening frame. Hanson and Filewich shared a team high six points each while Wiens carried the load with her quarter high eight points for TWU who trailed 22-11 after the first quarter.
 
The 'Birds increased the gap through the second frame thanks to Hanson adding another five points while Filewich and Kate Johnson chipped in with four each in outscoring the Spartans 20-15 to claim a 42-26 halftime lead. Wiens continued to deliver for TWU scoring another quarter high eight points while teammate Julia Marshall added a three-pointer.
 

?? WBB | @UBCWBBall is up 72-32 over @TWUSpartans after the 3rd. #GoBirdsGo pic.twitter.com/AecoX3GxIV

— UBC Thunderbirds / @UBCTBirds (@ubctbirds) January 11, 2020

 
The third quarter was highlighted by the hosts being lethal from long range, in particular Hanson who hit all three of her three-point attempts including back-to-back efforts to give the blue and gold a 65-36 advantage midway through the period. Laguerta also added her second three-pointer of the night for UBC while Jolene Vieg, Lana Shypit and Marshall would all respond from downtown for TWU who trailed 72-42 after three frames. Hanson enjoyed a quarter high 13 points for the T-Birds who saw their already efficient field goal shooting improve to 55 percent.
 
The T-Birds would outscore the Spartans 23-16 the rest of the way to close out a 95-58 victory, Filewich added another six points while Laguerta stroked her third of four three-point attempts to shoot 75 percent from long range on the evening.
 
The T-Birds and Spartans meet again on Saturday night at UBC with tip off at 5:00 p.m.