WINNIPEG –The Trinity Western University Spartans completed a weekend sweep over the University of Winnipeg Wesmen with a convincing 73-50 victory Saturday afternoon in the Dr. David F. Anderson Gymnasium in Winnipeg. 

The Spartans opened up the weekend series with a buzzer beating 74-73 over the Wesmen Friday night.

"Today was a complete team effort, complete game from first to fourth quarter, and complete confidence that we had what it would take to get two wins this weekend," commented TWU head coach Cheryl Jean-Paul. "I was really happy with the defensive statement we were able to make in the second half, knowing that today would be a battle, and on offense there were some highlight decisions in terms of knowing our best takes and creating for each other. People were moving and patiently waiting to get the best possible look and the stats sheet really spoke to the commitment every person who stepped into the game made to each other. We were able to rely on each other and trust our fitness to finish things out - every weekend we learn something more about ourselves and what we are capable of doing and I'm looking forward to continuing that process." 

Third year forward Kayla Gordon (Prince George, B.C.) led the Spartans with a game high 23 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the field. Second year forward Tessa Ratzlaff (Abbotsford, B.C.) added 18 points. Fourth year guard Natalie Carkner (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) added 17 including five-three pointers. Second year guard Jessie Brown (Langley, B.C.) finished with 13 points, draining four-three pointers. TWU point guard Luca Schmidt (Langley, B.C.) ran the potent Spartan offence as she finished with 10 assists on the night to go with four rebounds, and two points. 

Third year post Skylar Boulanger led the Wesmen with 12 points and six rebounds. Megan Noonan added 10 points, including a pair of three-pointers. 

A 10-0 run in the first quarter by the visiting Spartans paced them to a 15-4 lead early on. Winnipeg recovered, scoring eight straight points including three pointers by Noonan and Brittania Brown to cut the deficit to 18-15. The Spartans regrouped and carried a 27-19 lead into the second quarter. In the second quarter the Wesmen outscored the Spartans 15-14 to trail 41-34 at the halftime break. 

The Spartans connected on 55 percent shooting from the field, including five-of-nine from three-point territory. Winnipeg struggled connecting on 36 percent from the field. 

Winnipeg's shooting troubles continued in the third quarter and it seemed like someone put a lid on the Wesmen basket. The Spartans built a double-digit lead, outscoring the Wesmen 16-5 to open up a 57-39 lead after 30 minutes of play. 

Trinity Western closed the contest outscoring Winnipeg 16-11 in the final 10 minutes to close out the 73-50 victory. 

The hot shooting Spartans finished the contest shooting 54 percent, 29-of-54, from the field, while the Wesmen were 20-of-65 for 31 percent. 

Trinity Western (3-3) will be home next Thursday and Friday to the Saskatchewan Huskies. Winnipeg (1-5) will have a bye and will next see action in Regina on December 4-5 against the Cougars. 

Game Notes: On the weekend TWU guards Brown (9-16, 4-7) and Carkner (3-10, 5-7) combined to shoot 21-of-40 for 52.5 percent from the three point line…Schmidt's 10 assist ties her career  and TWU best, which she set last season against Winnipeg…Carkner's 17 points ties her career best, which she set against Regina on Feb. 1, 2014… 

-TW-

-with notes from Winnipeg Sports Information