Abbotsford, BC…..The Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack women’s basketball team defeated the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades, 72-70, in overtime at the Envision Athletic Centre. The Wolfpack improve their Canada West Pacific Division record to 15-5, while the Cascades fall to 15-4. The Cascades are now tied with the UBC Thunderbirds who defeated UNBC, 63-60, for first place in the Pacific Division. The division is a four team race with Victoria one game back at 14-5. All four teams have qualified for the Canada West playoffs but with three games left in the regular season anyone of the teams could finish anywhere from first to fourth.
Tonight’s game was tremendous thriller that went down to the wire in both the second half and the overtime. The Cascades came out strong in the first quarter, holding TRU to six points while opening up a double digit lead. The Cascades forced 8 Wolfpack turnovers in the first quarter as TRU’s points came of free throws. In the second quarter, TRU started to feel its legs and kept up with UFV in the quarter, as the half ended with UFV going into the break with a 10 point advantage. The Cascades shot well from the floor hitting 43 percent of their shots. The Wolfpack shot only 15 percent in the half.
Aieisha Luyken, Mission, BC led all Cascades with seven points, Alexa McCarthy, Chilliwack, BC and Sam Kurath, Abbotsford, BC each added 6 points. Tracy Kocs, Coquitlam, BC led TRU with 12 points.
The second half was one of the wildest in EAC history, TRU open the half going on a mini run of six points to knock the lead down to four, but UFV tighten up the defense and went on a run of their own to pull back to a 9 point lead after the third quarter. Cue the TRU comeback in the fourth quarter, as they held UFV to 13 points and collected several key baskets off offensive rebounds. TRU came with one point at 54-53 with five minutes remaining before UFV opened up a six point advantage with three minutes remaining. The Wolfpack chipped away at the lead and UFV twice had opportunities with under 30 seconds remaining to clinch the home victory. With 8 seconds left on the clock Courtney Bartel, Chilliwack, BC turned the ball over as she was trying inbound the ball she threw it into Jen Ju, Vancouver, BC arms and Ju drove to the basket to tie the game with no time left.
The Cascades and Wolfpack were going to overtime for a second time each this Canada West season. In the overtime Ju hit a three point basket to open the fifth quarter, but free throws by Kaitlyn Brink, Abbotsford, BC and veteran Nicole Wierks, Chilliwack, BC gave UFV the lead at 65-64. TRU continued to fight back and tie the game at 70 each with 38 seconds remaining. UFV and TRU would each have several opportunities to win the game until the Wolfpack drove down the court with seven seconds left and Kocs was fouled with no time left on the game clock. The fifth year arts major sunk both free throws to give TRU their second road overtime victory of the 2012-13 campaign. This was UFV’s first overtime game at home as a member of Canada West. The loss was UFV’s first at home this year. The wolfpack have now defeated the Cascades in three straight Canada West regular season games.
UFV had three scorers in double figures with Nicole Wierks leading the way with 13 points, Luyken and Bartel each added 12 points in the loss. Kocs led TRU and all scorers with a game high 23 points and 13 rebounds. Ju contributed 20 points and Diane Schuetze, Vernon, BC added 11 points in the victory.
The referees whistle was busy as three UFV Cascades and one TRU Wolfpack fouled out of the game before overtime.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow night at the Envision Athletic Centre, game time is set for 5pm.
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