Home court advantage finally meant just that for the University of Victoria Vikes.
The Vikes won their first Canada West men’s basketball game of the season on Ken and Kathy Shields Court in CARSA Gym with a 72-63 victory over the Trinity Western Spartans (2-13). The Vikes (6-9) had lost all five of their previous conference games at home.
Grant Sitton, with a gutty inside performance, led UVic with 26 points, while Scott Kellum and J.J. Hamel-Carey were money from outside with 17 and 15 points, respectively.
In the earlier Canada West women’s game, the UVic Vikes didn’t look like a team jacked for March, when they will host the U Sports national women’s basketball championships.
“Where’s our passion?” asked coach Dani Sinclair, following the 64-60 Canada West loss to Trinity Western on Ken and Kathy Shields Court.
“We were not prepared to play and looked listless with no energy against a very good team.”
As a result, the Vikes found seventh heaven to be elusive.
Something had to give — either UVic's six-game winning streak or Trinity Western’s three-game victory run. It was the Spartans who kept rolling to win No. 4 in a row. Both Trinity Western and UVic are now 10-5 in conference.
The Spartans led 28-19 at the half but UVic closed the gap to one in the third quarter before Trinity Western again surged to lead 43-37 at the end of the third quarter. The Vikes pulled to 60-58 with two minutes remaining in regulation time. Jenna Bugiardini missed two critical free throws with about a minute left before a three-point attempt, at 63-60, to tie by Jenna Krug went awry with three seconds remaining.
“You only get so many chances and we waited and waited and waited tonight,” said Sinclair.
There was a play in the second half that pretty much summed up the night with Spartan Natalie Carkner's desperation one-hander from near centre, with the shot clock nearing zero, swished through for three points.
“[The Spartan] put themselves in a position to make those plays. Credit to them. They made plays and outworked us,” said Sinclair.
Kristy Gallagher led UVic with 16 points while Bugiardini scored 14 and Nicole Karstein 10. Jessie Brown led Trinity with 20.
The UVic and Trinity Western teams meet again tonight in CARSA with the women’s game at 5 p.m. and men’s at 7 p.m.
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