VICTORIA, B.C. - Without the services of star forward #
Kayla Dykstra#, the No. 4 nationally ranked UVic Vikes women's basketball team (9-3) will host the struggling Trinity Western Spartans (1-13) at McKinnon Gymnasium on Jan. 7 (6 p.m.) and Jan. 8 (5 p.m.).
The Vikes women, coached by Brian Cheng, lost the services of Dykstra after the fifth-year forward suffered a season-ending knee injury in UVic's final regular season game of 2010 in Edmonton against the Alberta Golden Bears. Dykstra suffered a complete tear of her ACL and a second-degree tear of her MCL.
The Vikes women posted a 1-2 record at an exhibition tournament in Calgary over the holidays, Dec. 28-30, losing to No. 9 Toronto (66-60) and Calgary (79-46) but defeating Laval, 70-57, in their final contest of the tournament.
Cheng said the Trinity Western games will provide his team with a chance to continue to build their new identity.
"It was an unfortunate injury for us. We're saddened by the fact that it's a good person who has gone down," Cheng said. "She was on pace to be an All-Canadian and had the potential to be a Nan Copp Award candidate (as CIS women's basketball player of the year)."
Dykstra was leading the Vikes in scoring and among the national leaders.
"We've gone from a national contender to a team trying to find new ways to win; we've had to redefine ourselves," Cheng said. "Now we're looking at smaller, attainable goals. The last couple of games we have learned a lot about ourselves and we will try to apply this and get ready for Trinity Western."
Meanwhile, Trinity Western's women's squad (1-13) got a healthy dose of top competition over the holiday break at the Windsor Lancers exhibition tournament, but failed to win in four games, losing twice to the host and nationally No.1 ranked Lancers (92-36 and 76-47) while also falling to the No. 5 ranked Western Mustangs, 74-43, and Ottawa Gee-Gees 60-47.
GAME INFORMATION
Tickets: http://www.govikesgo.com/sports/2009/7/1/tickets.aspx?id=3
Live Stats: http://www.govikesgo.com/sports/2010/9/25/livestats.aspx
Live Video: http://www.sportscanada.tv/index.php/uvic-vikes-athletics
Live Blogs:
Jan. 7 - http://www.govikesgo.com/news/2011/1/5/MBB_0105115054.aspx
Jan. 8 - http://www.govikesgo.com/news/2011/1/5/WBB_0105115525.aspx
SCHEDULE
Friday Jan 7
WBB: Trinity Western at UVic, 6 p.m. (McKinnon Gymnasium)
MBB: Trinity Western at UVic, 8 p.m. (McKinnon Gymnasium)
Saturday Jan. 8
WBB: Trinity Western at UVic, 5 p.m. (McKinnon Gymnasium)
MBB: Trinity Western at UVic, 7 p.m. (McKinnon Gymnasium)
NOTE: Vikes to make special presentation to 2010 men's rugby team for winning Rounsefell Cup at half of men's game
