Tanner Michalenko, Saskatchewan Sports Information Student Assistant  

SASKATOON – Fifth-year University of Saskatchewan guard Alex Unruh carried the Huskies late in the fourth quarter in an 82-80 victory over the University of Victoria Vikes in a Canada West Men's Basketball Play-In Friday night on Ron & Jane Graham Centre Court at the PAC. 

With 25 seconds left in the game, Victoria earned their first lead of the second half. Unruh regained the lead for Saskatchewan with a clutch jump shot, but the lead was erased when the Vikes answered at the other end of the court on the next possession. Down one with 11 seconds remaining, Unruh took the inbounds isolation play to the rim, made the basket, was fouled and sunk the free throw for the two point lead.

Out of timeouts, the Vikes connected on a full-court pass that gave Jason Scully a clean look at a three-point attempt but his shot missed. 

The win in the single elimination play-in secures a spot in a best-of-three Canada West quarter-final series next weekend against the Calgary Dinos in Calgary.

Unruh scored a game-high 24 points, a game-high five assists and three rebounds. Second-year Emmanuel Atkintunde finished with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Maxwell Amoafo recorded a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.  

Mason Loewen and Jordan Charles each recorded 20 points for the Vikes and Charles added 14 rebounds for a double-double. 

The quarter-final series is slated for Friday, Saturday and, if needed, Sunday. It can be viewed on canadawest.tv.