The UBC Thunderbirds, living up to their No. 2 ranking in the country, defeated the pink-clad Vikes 82-69 in the Canada West men’s game before a large and noisy crowd on Shoot For The Cure Night.
UBC is undefeated at 5-0 in conference play. The Vikes continue to struggle at 2-5.
The night opened with UBC’s 81-62 victory over the Vikes in the women’s contest as the Thunderbirds moved to 5-0 in Canada West and the Vikes, ranked No. 10 in the country, fell to 4-3.
Six-foot-nine Victoria-product Conor Morgan of UBC again proved difficult to handle beneath the basket in the men’s game. The Mount Douglas graduate, who came into the game second in Canada West scoring with a 21.5 points-per-game average, scored 23 on Friday.
“It’s always fun coming back to Victoria. To play in front of family and friends is huge for me,” said the fifth-year standout.
“We are playing well and hope to win the national championship.”
Guard Wayne Tucker Jr. led UVic with 21 points, while forward Grant Sitton added 16.
“UBC has a lot of veterans while I’m the only graduating player on our team,” noted Sitton.
“It’s a process. We are moulding and blending as a unit. It is going to click one day soon.”
The Vikes cross the strait for a Sunday matinée at War Memorial Gym in the back end of the home-and-home set as UBC looks to sweep.
The Vikes, who reached the national Final Four in both 2014 and 2015 before missing the playoffs last season, were previously dominant in this rivalry and swept both games in 2015 before coach Kevin Hanson’s Thunderbirds swept both games last season.
The Thunderbirds made an emphatic statement in the women’s game in snapping a four-game UVic winning streak. UBC is undefeated yet unranked nationally. Vikes coach Dani Sinclair warned beforehand “not to put too much stock” in the rankings. She was right, as Thunderbirds guard Maddison Penn lit up the Vikes with 26 points.
“We handled UVic’s changing defences very well,” said UBC head coach Deb Huband, in her 24th season. “When they went zone, it was nice to hit some shots. When you do that, the game looks easier.”
There’s a long way to go, yet, warned Huband, who as a national team player, captained Canada to fourth place at the 1984 L.A. Olympics.
“It’s early in the season and these are both young teams,” she said.
Jenna Bugiardini was the story for UVic, hitting for 27 points and hauling down seven rebounds. Nicole Karstein added 16 points.
UBC hosts UVic in the return match tonight at War Memorial.
