KELOWNA, British Columbia – A balanced scoring attack, with four players hitting double-digits in scoring, led the Trinity Western Spartans to a 80-65 victory over the UBC Okanagan Heat Thursday night at the UBC-O gym in Kelowna, B.C. the victory improves the Spartans to 14-3, while the loss drops the heat to 6-10. The two teams were evenly matched, tied at 36-36 at the half, but a dominating second half propelled the Spartans to the 15 point victory.
 
Kianna Wiens with 18 points and Nicole Fransson with a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds led the Spartan attack, with Hailey Van Roekel at 12 points and Jayden Gill at 10 points also hitting double digits in scoring for TWU. While Jaeli Ibbetson with 17 points, Surprise Munie with 13 points, and Kelsey Falk with 11 points led the Heat attack.
 
AS IT HAPPENED
The Heat were the better team in the early going as they led 9-5 midway through the opening frame. UBC-O expanded their lead to 12-7 with 4:30 remaining. With 2:30 remaining the Heat still had a four point, 18-14 lead, But over the final few minutes TWU was the better squad as they used a 10-2 run to take a four point, 24-20, lead into the quarter break. TWU shot 52.9 percent (9-17) in the opening quarter, while UBC-O shot 42.1 percent (8-19). The Spartans had a 13-7 edge in rebounding.
 
Out of the break TWU extended their lead to six points, 26-20, but UBC-O made it a one point game, 28-27 2:30 into the quarter. From their TWU did not have a lead greater than four points and with 4 minutes to go the teams were tied at 32-32. TWU got the next two baskets, but UBC-O got the final four points to keep the game tied at 36-36 after 20 minutes of play. Both teams cooled off in the second quarter. TWU finished shooting 40 percent 6-15, while UBC-O shot 27.8 percent, 5-18. The Spartans shot 46.9 percent, 15-32, in the half, while the Heat shot 35.1 percent, 13-37. TWU had a 24-18 edge in rebounds. Hailey Van Roekel and Jolene Vlieg each had eight points for the Spartans, While Surprise Munie with eight points and Kelsey Falk with seven points led the Heat in scoring in the opening half.
 
The two teams were evenly matched through the first five minutes of the quarter as they remained tied at 45-45. But over the final five minutes of the quarter TWU's defence shut down UBC-O as the Spartans would finish the quarter with a 15-5 run to lead 60-50 at the end of the third quarter. TWU shot47.1 percent, 8-17, in the quarter, while UBC-O shot 23.8 percent, 5-21.
 
Five minutes into the final quarter the Spartans were able to hold of the Heat and maintain their 10 point lead, 69-59. With five minutes remaining, UBC-O had cut TWU's lead to eight points, 67-59. But they were unable to get any closer as the Spartans closed out the game with 13-6 run to earn their 14 victory of the season. TWU shot 56.3 percent, 9-16, in the quarter, while UBC-O shot 33.3 percent, 6-18.
 
NOTABLE

• At 14-3 TWU has the potential to have their best regular season in program history. TWU went 16-4 (.800) in 2017-18, but a win in their final game of the season would give the Spartans a 15-3 record for a .833 winning percentage.
• The Spartans are 12-1 overall in conference games against the Heat.
• TWU averages 61.3 points against per game this season, which ranks 5th in Canada West.
• The Spartans finished the game shooting 49.2 percent, 32-65, while the Heat shot 31.6 percent, 24-76. TWU was 40 percent from the three point line, 6-15, while UBC-O was 15.8 percent, 3-19. TWU had a 46-41 edge in rebounds.
• Fransson currently has 13 double-doubles on the season.

 
QUOTABLE
TWU Head Coach Cheryl Jean-Paul
"Today was definitely a character win for us. We could have found ways why a quick turnaround would have gone away from us but the team really demonstrated their character in how they created for each other, the shots they waited to take and how they adapted to how the other team was playing. We have worked really hard to be this kind of team and it's nice to see the results of that process."
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans will be off for a week and then they will travel north to take on the UNBC Timberwolves in the final game of the 2021-22 Canada West conference play for the Spartans. Game time in Prince George, B.C. on Saturday, February 19 is set for 1 p.m. The game can be seen live on Canadawest.tv.
 
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men's rugby. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 12 U SPORTS team championships and 29 Canada West team championships.
 
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