SPARTANS GET WIN AND SPLIT OVER BOBCATS 

BRANDON, Manitoba – The Trinity Western Spartans earned a weekend split with the Brandon Bobcats with a 49-45 victory Saturday night at the Healthy Living Centre in Brandon, Manitoba. The defensive win puts TWU back to .500 at 4-4, while the loss drops the Bobcats to 3-5. 

The final TWU total was the lowest output of the season for the Spartans, while the 45 points against was the fewest points allowed this season for TWU. 

"I thought we defensively handled some of their key players better, we showed more grit and desire to get the ball on loose ball situations, we didn't really let their bench get good looks and even though we definitely struggled to finish, we finished enough to get the win," commented TWU head coach Cheryl Jean-Paul. "Even though the score was low, the team played without one of our starters and responded to the challenge of having to step up and adjust."

Rookie guard Jessie Brown (Langley, B.C.) with 12 points, fifth year forward Laurissa Weigl (Stony Plain, Alta.) with 10 points and eight rebounds, and fifth year guard Chantelle Martin (Surrey, B.C.) with eight points and four rebounds led the Spartans attack, while Mikaela Stanton with 10 points, Aleah Bridges with nine points and Alyssa Montgomery with 10 rebounds and six points led the Bobcats. 

The Bobcats had the early lead, 13-10, after the first quarter, but the Spartans were able to tie the game at 22-22 by the end of the first half. The two teams remained close through the rest of the game, with TWU leading by two points, 32-30 at the start of the fourth quarter. 

Through the final quarter TWU could not pull away from BU and with 2:40 remaining Brandon held a one point, 41-40 lead after an Aleah Bridges three point basket. Two free throws by Chantelle Martin and a jumper and two free throws from Jessie Brown gave the Spartans a four point lead, 46-42, with 1:22 remaining. The Bobcats cut the lead to one point after a Stephanie Haynes free throw and a layup  by Mikaela Stanton with 34 seconds made the score 46-45 for TWU. 

The Spartans worked the clock down the stretch and the Bobcats eventually fouled TWU forward Kristin Ford (Okotoks, Alta.), who made one of two foul shots, gave the Spartans a two point, 47-45 lead. Brandon's Mikaela Stanton took a deep three point shot that missed. The Spartans third year guard Luca Schmidt (Langley, B.C.), who was fouled on the rebound, made both foul shots to make the final 49-45 for TWU. 

Trinity Western will continue their games on the road next week in Calgary with games on Nov. 28 and Nov. 29 to finish off the first half of the Canada West schedule. 

Game Notes: TWU was without second year forward Kayla Gordon (Prince George, B.C.), who had been injured in the second half of Friday night's contest… the 45 points allowed is the fewest allowed by TWU since Feb. 8, 2013 in a 60-45 win over UBC Okanagan…the Spartans record for fewest points scored against was set Dec. 1, 2012 in a 74-23 win at Brandon… 

-TW-