VANCOUVER – UBC head coach Deb Huband made history Saturday night at War Memorial Gym as the Thunderbirds defeated the Trinity Western Spartans 100-57, Huband's 338^th regular season victory, more than any other coach in Canada West women's basketball history.
 
"It's a tremendous honour," said Huband after her record setting win, breaking the previous mark held by former Victoria Vikes coach Kathy Shields. "To be following in Kathy Shields' footsteps, she was a mentor of mine and somebody I have tremendous respect for. I think it reflects a tremendous journey, it's been a very long and exciting journey with lots of amazing people."
 
"It's hard to believe really," continued Huband, currently in her 25^th season with the Thunderbirds. "I think the commitment, the loyalty of my coaching staff and players, everybody has contributed. I get to accumulate the wins but it's really on the backs of so many people's contributions."


 
The T-Birds enjoyed a balanced attack with six players reaching double figures to hit the century mark, leading the way was Jessica Hanson with a game high 24 points followed by Keylyn Filewich's double double of 23 points and 14 rebounds. Hailey Counsell added 12 points, Maddison Penn had 11 points, while Kate Johnson and Tanis Metcalfe chipped in with 10 points each. Kianna Wiens had a team high 15 points for TWU while Jolene Vlieg added 12 points and Jayden Gill put up 10 points.


 
For a second consecutive night and given what was at stake for their head coach the T-Birds were focused from opening tip off and after trading early buckets UBC created separation thanks to Filewich successfully completing a three-point play to give the hosts a 17-10 lead. Much like the previous night it was Wiens who stood out for TWU, hitting a jumper as part of her scoring nine of the squad's first 12 points to trail 17-12 before Counsel responded with a three-pointer to put UBC up 20-12. Hanson was also dangerous, hitting five of her eight shot attempts including a three-pointer in shooting 63 percent from the field, resulting in a quarter high 11 points to pace the 'Birds to a 26-12 advantage after the first frame.


 
The second quarter saw UBC use a balanced attack to outscore the Spartans 22-15 and take a 48-27 lead into halftime. Johnson led the way for the T-Birds with six points followed by Filewich and Penn adding five points each. For the TWU it was Gill and Kailey Reimer with a team high four points each.
 
Coming out of the break the 'Birds continued to execute while both teams hit from long range. Hanson had a quarter high 11 points thanks in part to stroking two more three-pointers improving to three for three from long range to give UBC a 68-35 lead. Counsel counted another three-pointer for the blue and gold before back to back buckets from downtown from Kailey Reimer and Julia Marshall for the Spartans to trail 71-41. Seven points from Counsel and six more from Filewich put UBC ahead 78-46 after three quarters.


 
To close out the fourth quarter Filewich and Metcalfe recorded six points each for UBC who shot an efficient 50 percent from the field on the night in securing the record setting win. It's the eighth victory in the T-Birds last nine outings and Huband appreciated the back to back efforts.

"Terrific weekend for us, we came out fired up, motivated, hungry. We were a little disappointed in how we performed last weekend. We still have growth ahead of us and that's exciting, it's nice to see us take another step this weekend."
 
Next up for the Thunderbirds is a Legends Cup rivalry series home-and-home with the University of Victoria Vikes beginning Thursday, January 16 at War Memorial Gym. Meanwhile the Spartans kick off a home-and-home with the UFV Cascades on Thursday at the Langley Events Centre..