VICTORIA - #Ryan MacKinnon# led his team in scoring once again, as the Comox, B.C., native netted 22 points, and the UVic Vikes men's basketball team remained unbeaten with an 84-76 win over the Thompson Rivers WolfPack at Ken and Kathy Shields Court at McKinnon Gymnasium on Saturday night in front of 600 fans.

BOX SCORE

With the win, the No. 8 nationally ranked UVic squad improves to 6-0 and remains the top team in the Canada West. Thompson Rivers falls to 2-4.

For the second straight night, Justin King of Las Vegas led the WolfPack with a game-high 25 points, along with nine rebounds. #Michael Acheampong# of Toronto netted 17 points and added five rebounds and five assists in the win for UVic. #Michael Berg# of Burnaby, B.C., chipped in with 16 points along with seven boards, and #Zac Andrus# of Vashon Island, Wa., added 10 points, three rebounds and three assists.

"Coming in, we knew we were playing a good team and we knew if we were going to win again tonight we had to be better. I thought we played better," said Vikes head coach #Craig Beaucamp#. "We took better care of the ball in the second half and made some crucial stops in the third quarter. #Reiner Theil# was outstanding in the second half and made a big difference for us."

Indeed, the freshman from West Vancouver finished with three points but it was his defensive effort on King - holding the game's leading scorer to just six second-half points - that helped the Vikes to victory.

"I told the guys at the half, if you're happy trading baskets in one of those next-basket-wins-the-game contests, this is exactly how the game will finish," Beaucamp said. "We were' playing up and down basketball with no defence, we knew we had to change. I thought we adjusted well and played much better in our own half in the second (half)."

In the opening quarter the Vikes built a quick lead and got WolfPack star and Lynden, Wa., Chas Kok into foul trouble with three personals in the opening seven and a half minutes. UVic led 23-22 after the opening quarter and 43-38 at the halftime break, despite the best efforts of King who had 19 first-half points. A 12-2 edge on second-chance points and 14 offensive rebounds helped the Vikes cause.

In the third quarter, UVic built a lead by as much as 17 points before an 11-0 run in the final three minutes cut the lead back down to six points. UVic led 68-60 entering the fourth quarter.

The Vikes used strong outside shooting to remain in front and hold on to the victory, finishing with a strong defensive second half. MacKinnon put a dagger in with the winning points with 4:30 left, with some fancy footwork, some dazzling dribbling and perfect technique on a three-point bomb on a double-team that put UVIc up 79-67.

UVic closes out the 2011 portion of the conference schedule at Calgary Nov. 25 and at Lethbridge on Nov. 26 (FULL SCHEDULE).

"The biggest thing is that we're getting wins - the count just as much in the first half as they do later in the year," Beaucamp said. "We're starting to show signs of chemistry and guys coming together. We have nine of our 15 guys new to the team this year. And while they're not all true freshman with a number of them college transfers, they're still new to the system and take some time adjusting."

SCORING SUMMARY
MBB: UVic 84 Thompson Rivers 76
(At Ken and Kathy Shields Court at McKinnon Gymnasium)
            1    2    3    4    - T
TRU        22    16    22    16    - 76
UVIC        23    20    25    16    - 84
Leading Scorers: TRU - Justin King 25 points, 9 rebounds, Kevin Pribilsky 16 points; UVIC - Ryan MacKinnon 22 points, five assists, Michael Acheampong 17 points, five assists, five rebounds.