LANGLEY - The Spartans head into Christmas break on a positive note, grabbing their fifth win of the season, taking down the Pronghorns with a dominant score of 87-64.

After a disappointing loss on campus Friday night, the Spartans bounded back in a big way, outscoring themselves from the night before by 17. Right out the gate, the Spartans came out hot, scoring 25 points in the first quarter and 23 points in the second quarter. Connor Platz came into the game only 3 blocks shy of the all time U Sports record. Platz recorded his third block of the game late in the fourth quarter, making him the all time U Sports record holder for career blocks. 

Jack Vandenberg (Vancouver, B.C.) bounced back, scoring 24 points and knocked down six threes. He also dished out six assists on the evening. Marcus Shankar (Campbell River, B.C.) continued his strong play, scoring 18 points on 7/12 shooting. Connor Platz (Langley, B.C.) had a double double, scoring 10 points and also grabbed 11 boards. For the Pronghorns, Bryce Solis led the way with 20 points.

QUOTABLE

TWU Head Coach Trevor Pridie, 

"Great way to close out the first half of the season. A convincing home win to send us off into the holidays. 

Connor Platz etched his name in the record book as the all-time career leader in blocked shots in USports men's basketball history. To be the all time leader and pass so many great shot blockers it's a testament to Connor's, defensive instincts, and consistency over his career. The entire TWU community is incredibly proud of what he's accomplished.

Jack Vandenberg delivered the response we were looking for. After a tough game shooting on Friday Jack went 6/7 from 3. That was a massive bounce-back statement from one of our leaders, and it couldn't have come at a better time.

This was a complete team effort—defending together, playing with pace and moving the ball as a team that's the identity we want to keep building."

NOTABLES

• Trinity Western delivered an elite offensive performance, shooting 52.4% from the field while holding Lethbridge to just 31.2%, controlling the scoring efficiency battle all night.

• The Spartans were lethal from beyond the arc, knocking down 11 threes at  45.8%—over double Lethbridge's 18.2% accuracy.

• TWU's spacing and shot-making allowed them to pull away steadily, eventually building a largest lead of 28 points and maintaining control throughout the second half.

• Despite being outrebounded overall, the Spartans dominated defensively on the glass with 35 defensive rebounds, limiting Lethbridge's second-chance opportunities.

• TWU's bench continued to shine, pouring in 22 points compared to Lethbridge's 8, providing steady support and depth scoring.

• On the defensive side, Trinity Western stayed active with 6 steals and forced 10 turnovers, turning those chances into 12 points.

• The Spartans shared the ball effectively, finishing with 22 assists—far outpacing Lethbridge's 14 and showcasing strong ball movement and unselfish play.

• Trinity Western controlled the momentum from start to finish, holding the lead for over 34 minutes and dictating the pace in a decisive, all-around performance.

UP NEXT

The Spartans head into Christmas break, and will return to action on January 9th, as they take on UBC at the War Memorial Gym. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. (PT) and can be seen live on Canada West 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 and women's and men's disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 14 U SPORTS team championships and 34 Canada West team championships.

About Trinity Western University

Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in CIS sports. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.  

-TW-