LANGLEY, B.C. – 19 points and nine rebounds from Trinity Western centre
Nicole Fransson (Edmonton) wasn't enough for the Spartans on Saturday, falling 77-69 to UBC Okanagan at the Langley Events Centre.
The Spartans (11-5) struggled from the field, shooting 36.5 percent from the field as a team. On the other end of the court, the Heat (8-8) shot well, putting together a team percentage of 42.6 percent. UBCO's Jaeli Ibbetson put down a game-high of 22 points, grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out six assists as well.
The Spartans also got a solid performance from
Jayden Gill (Abbotsford, B.C.), who scored 15 in the match.
AS IT HAPPENED
The Heat asserted themselves early in Saturday's game, ending the first quarter with a 23-18 lead.
UBCO increased their lead heading into the half, carrying a 44-35 advantage into the second half of play.
The Spartans could not overcome UBCO in the third quarter either, keeping UBCO's lead at nine (63-54).
The lead only changed three times on Saturday as UBCO eventually built their advantage to 15 points. The Spartans nearly rallied back by the end of the match, but the Heat held on for a 77-69 victory.
QUOTABLE
TWU Head Coach Cheryl Jean-Paul
"We lost a lot of battles today. There were some things that clicked for us yesterday in the flow of the game, but we weren't able to maintain that today. The amount of fouls and stoppages impacted our rhythm, and when we're not in rhythm we don't get the right looks. [UBCO] took full advantage of the defensive challenges we had today. Whether it was help rotations or one-on-one situations, we let them do what they needed to in order to win the game. This is disappointing, but we have some gaps to fill now, and if we approach it the right way we'll be ready for a style of play like this.
"This is never the way you want to celebrate your seniors, but we have a lot of basketball left. This is unfinished business for our seniors, so it's time to move on to the next."
NOTABLE
• The Spartans are 19-5 all-time against UBCO, winning seven of their last 10 in the matchup.
• The Spartans were previously riding a four-game winning streak against the Heat.
UP NEXT
The Spartans play at No. 7-ranked Saskatchewan (12-2) on Jan. 27-28.
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 13 U SPORTS team championships and 32 Canada West team championships.
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