VICTORIA – The University of Victoria Vikes men's basketball team opened up their second game of the Canada West quarterfinals with a sense of urgency, Feb. 22 at McKinnon Gym, taking control early and refusing to allow Winnipeg to gain a lead throughout the entire game. The urgency paid off as the Vikes rolled to a 75–61 victory that forces a third and deciding game, Feb. 23 on home court.
 
BOX SCORE
 
Terrell Evans led the Vikes with 18 points and eight boards in the contest, while teammate Chris McLaughlin collected a double-double, recording 17 points and 11 boards. Second-year Vike and three-point specialist Kyle Peterson collected 16 points, going 4-6 from beyond the arc.
 
Winnipeg forward Steven Wesley put up 16 points and nine boards in 30 minutes of play, while teammates Christopher Baxter and Jordan Clennon posted 10 and nine points, respectively.
 
A resurgent Vikes squad opened up strong in the first with an 8-0 run, forcing Wesmen head coach Mike Raimbault to call a timeout early. The call was the right one for the Wesmen, who battled back in the quarter to finish one point shy of tying the game, trailing 16-15.
 
The second quarter saw Vike guard Marcus Tibbs taking over on offence, posting seven of the Vikes 21 total points in the quarter. Winnipeg appeared poised to take the lead with a 5-0 run that tied the game at 20 apiece before the Vikes answered back with a 5-0 run of their own. The Vikes continued to roll, extending their lead to nine at the half.
 
Back-to-back three-point shots highlighted the opening half of the third quarter for the Vikes as they looked to put away the Wesmen. The visiting side refused to concede defeat, however, answering back with a three-pointer of their own to keep the Vikes within 10 points. Peterson added two three-pointers in the quarter as the Vikes continued to pad their point total.
 
Up 53-46 in the fourth, the Vikes took over on offence, stretching their lead to 21 points by the seven-minute mark, highlighted by a Chris McLaughlin dunk that brought the revitalized Vikes crowd to its feet. Clock management was the name of the game for head coach Craig Beaucamp, who was able to sit all five starters in the remaining minutes of the quarter as his Vikes rolled to a 75-61 victory.
 
The win forces a third and deciding game at McKinnon Gymnasium, Feb. 23 at 2:00 p.m. The game will be streamed live with stats on www.canadawest.tv.