FRIDAY

Saskatchewan 95 Winnipeg 74

Wesmen-Huskies Stats

by Nicole Betker, Saskatchewan Huskies Sports Information

SASKATOON - Matthew Forbes 40 points helped push the University of Saskatchewan Huskies past the visiting Winnipeg Wesmen 95-74 on Friday at the PAC.

Forbes, a second-year forward, had a career-high 40 points going 13-14 from the field and 13-14 from the free-throw line.  He also added four rebounds in the game.

With the win, Saskatchewan improves to 12-5 on the season, while Winnipeg drops to 11-7. Entering the weekend, just four points separated first from fourth in the Canada West Prairie Division. The win helps the Huskies inch closer to a securing a top two spot and hosting duties in the first round of the playoffs.

Mark McNee was the best on the night for the Wesmen tallying a team-high 19 points and five rebounds. Steven Wesley added another 14 points.

Ben Baker was also strong for the Huskies in the win recording a double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds.

The two teams will battle again on Saturday at the PAC. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. and can be seen on canadawest.tv.

Huskie Athletics

#2 UBC 96 Mount Royal 71

Cougars-Thunderbirds Stats

by Lee Dorner, UBC Sports Information Assistant

VANCOUVER – The #2 UBC Thunderbirds shot 62 per cent from the field in the second half to power their way past the Mount Royal Cougars 96-71 on Friday night at War Memorial Gym.

David Wagner finished with a game-high 19 points, adding five rebounds and two steals for UBC. Doug Plumb, O’Brian Wallace, Tommy Nixon and Solomon all scored in double digits for UBC as well.

For the Cougars, it was a balanced attack that saw six players take at least seven shots, and nobody take more than 10. Nick Loewen led the team with 12 points and seven rebounds. Awet Abraha had 11 points and James Lefebvre had 10.

With the win, UBC tightens its grip on first place in the Pacific Division. The ‘Birds are three games up on Victoria at 15-2 on the year, with only five games remaining. The final two, however, are head-to-head with the rival Vikes, so they can’t let up on the gas pedal yet.

UBC and Mount Royal (3-14) wrap up their series on Saturday at 7 p.m.

T-Bird Athletics

#6 Alberta 92 Manitoba 83

Bisons-Golden Bears Stats

by Paul Cartledge, U of Alberta Spors Information

EDMONTON - In a battle for first place in the Prairie division, third-year guard Kenneth Otieno took the spotlight, netting a career-high 36 points in a 92-83 victory for the #6 Alberta Golden Bears over the Manitoba Bisons, Friday night at Saville Community Sports Centre.

Sahr Saffa added 15 points and Youssef Ouahrig 12.

The Bisons' Jonar Huertas put up a team-high 23 points, with team leading scorer Stephan Walton adding 18.

The win improves first-place Alberta's record to 14-3 and almost puts the Bears into a playoff spot with five games left to go. Manitoba drops to 12-6, allowing Saskatchewan, who earned a victory over Winnipeg on Friday, to tie them for second place with a game in hand.

Game2 of the weekend series goes at 8 p.m. on Saturday.

Bears & Pandas Athletics

Victoria 89 UNBC 80

Timberwolves-Vikes Stats

by Ali Lee, Vikes Communications

VICTORIA – The Victoria Vikes came out on top, 89-80, over the veteran-heavy UNBC Timberwolves on Friday at McKinnon Gym.

The Vikes improve their record to 12-5 and are one step closer to hosting the first round of Canada West playoffs, while UNBC drop to 11-6.
 
Michael Acheampong finished the night with 24 points, most of which came in the second quarter, while Terrell Evans ended the night with a double-double of 29 points and 11 rebounds for the Vikes.
 
For the Timberwolves, fifth-year Sam Raphael led the pack with 15 points, while Victoria product and Mount Doug grad Francis Rowe tallied 13. Charles Barton added 12 points and four rebounds.
 
The Timberwolves go at the Vikes again on Saturday, 7 p.m. at McKinnon Gym. The game will be broadcast live at http://uvic.canadawest.tv.

Vikes Athletics

Trinity Western 83 Thompson Rivers 75

Spartans-WolfPack Stats

by Larry Read, TRU WolfPack Sports Information

KAMLOOPS, BC - The Thompson Rivers WolfPack came up with a second-half charge, but just fell short to the visiting Trinity Western Spartans on Friday at the Tournament Capital Centre, 83-75.

The WolfPack fall to 6-19 on the season, while Trinity Western moves to 9-9.

TRU's Kevin Pribilsky led the way with18 points in 36 minutes of court time. Brett Rouault had 11 points.
Tristan Smith scored 18 points for TWU, with Tonnor Jackson chipping in 17.

The WolfPack head to Abbotsford to play theFraser Valley Cascades next weekend (Feb 8-9); the Spartans will host the UBC Okanagan Heat.

WolfPack Athletics

#9 Fraser Valley 85 UBC Okanagan 80 (OT)

Cascades-Heat Stats

by Cary Mellon, UBCO Heat Sports Information

KELOWNA, BC - The UBC Okanagan Heat once again looked to be world-beaters, leading #9 Fraser Valley for most of the fourth quarter, but the Cascades escaped 85-80 on Friday night.

UBCO\s Mitch Goodwin posted 19 points, five rebounds and four assists. Backcourt partner Yassine Ghomari poured in a game-high 21 points, while also facilitating the offense to the tune of five assists.

UFV's Kevon Parchment scored a team-high 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Rookie Nathan Kendall played 45 minutes, never leaving the floor, and managed 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

UBC Okanagan is still searching for win number three after falling to 2-16, but will get its chance on Saturday versus the 10-7 Cascades in the second of back-to-back. Tip-off for the game is at 7 p.m. in the UBC Okanagan gymnasium.

Watch online at ubco.canadawest.tv.

Heat Athletics

Lethbridge 86 Brandon 82

Bobcats-Pronghorns Stats

by Cristy Duce, U of L Pronghorns Sports Information Assistant

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Lethbridge Pronghorns fought to keep their playoff hopes alive with an 86-82 win over the Brandon Bobcats on Friday at the 1st Choice Savings Centre.

Fifth-year senior Derek Waldner led the ‘Horns with 25 points and 14 rebounds as his career draws to a close, also bringing him closer to the top spot in the ‘Horns’ record books for career rebounds.  American guard Alex Fletcher cashed in 18 points, 12 of which came from beyond the arc.

Jordan Reaves scored a game-high 31 points for Brandon, also adding eight rebounds. Michael Smith poured in 19 points and grabbed five boards.

With the win the ‘Horns improve to 8-9 on the season but remain three games out of the final playoff spot in the Prairie Division while the Bobcats fall to 4-13.

OSaturday's rematch tips off at 8 p.m. and will be webcast at canadawest.tv.

Horns Athletics

Calgary 85 Regina 75

Cougars-Dinos Stats

by Lindsay Franco, U of C Sports Information

CALGARY – The playoff push is on and the Dinos continue to deliver as they try to close out Winnipeg for that final spot. Calgary defeated the Regina Cougars at the Jack Simpson Gymnasium on Friday by a score of 85-75.

Thijin Moses had a game-high 26 points in the game, and Regina’s Connor Burns matched that with 26 of his own and a double-double. Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson followed up that performance with 19 points and ten rebounds for the double-double and Josh Owen-Thomas scored 16 more for the Dinos in the win. This marks the sixth win in seven games the Dinos have captured since the Christmas break.

Calgary, now 10-7, and Regina, falling to 6-11, will tip-off again on Saturday at the Jack at 7 p.m.

U of C Athletics

THURSDAY

Trinity Western 93 Thompson Rivers 70

Spartans-WolfPack Stats

by Larry Read, TRU Sports Information

KAMLOOPS, BC — On Thursdya, playoff aspirations of the Thompson Rivers WolfPack took a turn for the worse as they dropped the first of a two game Canada West home tand with the Trinity Western Spartans, 93-70.

The Spartans moved to 8-9, the WolfPack fell to 6-12 and the Victoria Vikes earned a playoff spot in the meantime.

Trinity Western was led by Tonner Jackson, with 21 points, and  Tristan Smith contributed 15 points. Mark Perrin had a double-double of 13 points, 10 rebounds.

For TRU it was Kevin Pribilsky with 17 points, while Blaz Bozinovic scored 10 and added 12 rebounds.

The two teams meet again at the Tournament Capital Centre on Friday at 8:00 p.m., LIVE on canadawest.TV.

TRU Athletics