VANCOUVER -- There was little separating the UBC Thunderbirds and University of the Fraser Valley Cascades in game two of their double-header, as the Cascades outlasted the T-Birds for a 71-64 double overtime victory at War Memorial Gym. With the series split, the 'Birds fall to 1-3 early in the season with all four games going down to the wire for the talented young Thunderbird team.
 
"I thought Deanna was really good for us tonight," said UFV head coach Al Tuchscherer after his team improved to 3-1 on the season. "She didn't shy away from the moment. Being down Maddie is big for us, so I thought Deanna really picked up the slack especially in overtime. We're a young squad, so to learn these lessons is important. Last night was super disappointing, there's no doubt about it, and I wasn't sure how our team was going to respond. There were some shaky moments down the stretch, but overall, I'm very proud with how they played."
 
Deanna Tuchscherer led all scorers with 30 points and added 10 rebounds for the Cascades in the win, while Nikki Cabuco put up 22 points with five threes and four steals.

?? WBB | @UBCWBBall ties the score 51-51 in the last minutes of the 4th and the game vs @UFVCascades goes to overtime! #GoBirdsGo pic.twitter.com/71HCEKGRqr

— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) November 7, 2021

 
Hailey Counsell was clutch for UBC with 22 points and five rebounds, Emily Martindale had 13 points, and Kate Johnson totalled 12 points with a team-high six assists – adding seven rebounds in the nail-biter.
 
The Cascades came out strong in the first quarter – jumping out to a lead that Deanna Tuchscherer made 13-8 for the visitors before Martindale stopped the run and Counsell cut the deficit to four at 16-12. Katie Hartman made it a one-possession game at 16-14 in the final minute of play in the first and led the 'Birds with six points in the frame as the home team trailed by two heading into the second quarter.
 
Cabuco opened the second quarter with a corner three for the Cascades, but Counsell hit a running floater to beat the shot clock at 20-18 UFV. Cabuco dropped a floater of her own to restore a four-point advantage, but Counsell cut the deficit to one with a three on the next possession. The Cascades continued to push with Alexis Worell driving through the lane and finding Tuchscherer for an easy two and Cabuco lifting their lead to nine with a triple at 32-23 – a cushion they carried to halftime up 34-23.

?? WBB | At the half @UBCWBBall trails @UFVCascades 34-23. pic.twitter.com/23PJCSCozW

— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) November 7, 2021

 
Dina Strujic opened the second half scoring for the T-Birds and Johnson hit two free throws as UBC cut into the UFV lead, but Cabuco picked off a pass and laid it in to give the Cascades a ten-point advantage halfway through the third. Counsell replied with a corner three and the Thunderbirds defense locked down to earn four straight stops ahead of a tough Johnson layup late in the quarter. A Johnson free throw made it a four-point game at 40-36 UFV after three quarters of play.
 
Johnson drew an and one to bring the 'Birds within one at 40-39 in the first minute of the fourth that Cabuco erased with her fifth three of the game as the physicality intensified. Counsell crossed up Google Sidhu for a layup and once again made it a two-point game before Martindale completed the comeback with a layup to tie it up at 43-43 midway through the quarter. Deanna Tuchscherer drained a three for the Cascades at 48-44, but Martindale brough the T-Birds back within a possession with a layup. Down three, Counsell knocked down a clutch three to tie the game with 18.6 left on the clock. During UFV's possession, Deanna Tuchscherer lost the ball in her feet and UBC forced a jump ball, giving possession to the Thunderbirds with 4.4 seconds remaining – but the T-Birds couldn't capitalize, and five additional overtime minutes were needed.


 
Deanna Tuchscherer scored a jumper to start overtime and Martindale responded with a layup, but Deanna Tuchscherer drained a three at 56-53 and hit another jumper in the paint for a five-point edge. After Worell hit a free throw, Azalya Forstbauer scored two free throws to make it 59-55 and Counsell hit a three to bring the 'Birds within one with 1:09 left on the clock. Counsel drew a foul driving to the rim and scored both free throws to tie the game once again and send both teams to double overtime at 60-60.
 
Sidhu scored a corner three to start the sixth frame and Deanna Tuchscherer hit a turnaround jumper to give the Cascades a 65-62 edge. Johnson drew back-to-back fouls and hit two free throws at 65-64 with under a minute on the clock. Deanna Tuchscherer stepped through for a difficult layup and a three-point advantage before Johnson was charged with an offensive foul with 17.2 remaining. Deanna Tuchscherer and Cabuco both made their free throws late for a 70-64 lead with 10.5 seconds on the clock and Deanna Tuchscherer made one last free throw to close out the game 71-64.
 
The T-Birds will head out for their first road trip of the season to take on the UBC Okanagan Heat on November 12^th and 13^th, while the Cascades return home for a series against the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack on Friday and Saturday.