The upset was within reach of the UNBC Timberwolves.
They had a real shot at knocking off the first-place Trinity Western University Spartans and had a three-point lead when Rebecca Landry hit for back-to-back buckets with six minutes left on the clock Friday.
For the next three minutes the T-wolves and Spartans took turns holding leads, but with six-footer Emma vanBruinessen suddenly parked on the UNBC bench after fouling out, the hosts from Langley found that sliver of daylight they were looking for.
A deflected pass led to a UNBC turnover and Nicole Fransson took advantage at the other end of the court with an offensive rebound and undefended putback from close range for a three-point lead. Spartans guard Jayden Gill blocked a shot and that led a quick transition that ended with Kianna Wiens getting fouled and the top free throw shooter in Canada West made the T-wolves pay, sinking both of them with 1:47 left on the clock.
Alina Shakirova gave the T-wolves hope with a three but the visitors turned the ball over deep in Spartan territory and Gill ran down court and sealed a 71-66 victory with a jump shot.
With the win, the Spartans improved to 13-2 atop the West Division womne's basketball standings. The T-wolves, who have lost six of their last seven games, dropped to 5-7.
“Trinity really pushed,” Shakirova told UNBC sports information officer Rich Abney. “They gave a good fight and didn’t make it easy on us. They didn’t want us to let us get a win in their house. They have a good record for a reason.”
The Spartans led 22-16 after 10 minutes and UNBC reversed the trend in the second quarter, outscoring the Spartans 23-16 to take a 39-38 lead into the break. The teams were dead-even with 13 points each in the third quarter but the T-wolves couldn’t keep up the pace the rest of the way.
Wiens collected a game-high 22 points and had five assists. Gill, with 12 points, and Hailey van Roekel, with 10, also hit double figures.
Shakirova, who started the day Friday as the Canada West scoring leader, had a 16-point, four-rebound game. Anastasia Soltes picked up 12 points, while Landry and Laura Garmendia Garcia each scored 10. UNBC forward Sveta Boykova led the battle of the boards with 12 rebounds and also contributed six points, four assists and three steals.
Shakirova’s scoring average dropped to 20.3 per game and she lost her lead in the scoring race after Ashlyn Day pumped in 42 points Friday for the Victoria Vikes in a 67-54 win over the UBC Thunderbirds. Day is now averaging 22.0 points.
The T-wolves and Spartans meet again Saturday in Langley (5 p.m. start, Canada West TV). The women’s teams will face other in Prince George on Saturday, Feb. 19.
The T-wolves have six games left in their season schedule. The league has rescheduled the COVID-postponed Jan. 7 UNBC home game against Victoria to Feb. 26, which will mark the end of the regular season for both teams.
