VICTORIA, B.C. - Jamelle Barrett let his first-half rest pay dividends in the final 20 minutes, as he fought through early foul trouble to score 29 of his game-high 32 points including his team's final 11 points in the closing three minutes as the No. 4 Saskatchewan Huskies edged the host and No. 5 ranked UVic Vikes 86-81 in front of over 1,200 fans at Ken & Kathy Shields Court at McKinnon Gymnasium on Friday night.

BOX SCORE

With the victory the Huskies improve to 6-2 and hand the Vikes their first loss in Canada West play as UVic now sits at 8-1. The Vikes last started the season 8-0 in the 1998-99 season and were last 9-0 in 1997-98 when they went 10-0 before losing to Alberta late in January.

Next, UVic hosts the No. 6 nationally ranked Alberta Golden Bears (6-3) on Saturday night at 7 p.m., 81-72 losers in overtime to the UBC Thunderbirds (5-2) on Friday night in Vancouver.

In Victoria on Friday, Barrett of Rancho Cordova, Ca., was forced to the bench in early foul trouble in the opening half, scoring just three points and committing three turnovers in 11 minutes of play. But his 29-point second half, highlighted by a ridiculous three-pointer over Vikes guard #Zac Andrus# at the 1:52 minute mark, was the difference in an epic battle between two of the CIS's top programs. Fundamentally, Andrus of Vashon Island, Wash., couldn't have made the shot tougher for Barrett - but the Huskies star still drained it.

Trailing 71-67 with just over six minutes remaining, Barrett took over with 16 of their final 19 points. In the final three minutes, the fourth-year guard scored from the free-throw line, then drained two three-pointers - including the game-changer over Andrus to make it 79-76 Saskatchewan - then hit another jumper in the paint before scoring two more points in the dying seconds from the charity stripe to account for all 11 of his team's points on a a thrilling Huskies run to close out the game. He added seven assists in the win.

Once again, #Ryan MacKinnon# of Comox, B.C., was dynamite for the Vikes, leading the squad with 20 points. #Michael Acheampong# of Toronto added 19 and #Mike Berg# of Burnaby, B.C., 10 in the loss.

After trailing early 16-8, UVIc led 35-32 at the half and stretch the lead to 63-58 after three quarters. The Huskies outscored UVic 28-18 in the fourth quarter to pick up the victory, including a 12-1 margin in the paint.

Saskatchewan outrebounded the Vikes 35-30 and their 14 offensive boards provided 14 second-chance points and a number of new possessions to wear UVic down late in the game.

SCORING SUMMARY
MBB: Saskatchewan 86 UVic 81
(At Ken & Kathy Shields Court, McKinnon Gymnasium)
        1    2    3    4    - F
SASK    18    14    26    28    - 86
UVIC    15    20    28    18    - 81
TOP SCORERS: SASK-Jamelle Barrett 32 points (29 in second half), Michael Lieffers 19 points and 13 rebounds; UVIC-Ryan MacKinnon 20 points, Michael Acheampong 19 points