Box Score TORONTO, Ont. – It took nearly every second of the game, Mar. 12, but the University of Victoria Vikes men's basketball team came out on top, 57-56, over Dalhousie to advance to their second-straight CIS semifinal. Two free throws with eight seconds to go from senior Chris McLaughlin sealed the victory as the Vikes will now prepare to face the No. 1-seeded Carleton Ravens, who defeated Saskatchewan 90-50 in their quarter-final match up.
 
The Vikes were led by third year Grant Sitton, who came off the bench to contribute 19 points including three much-needed shots from beyond the arc. Fourth-year point guard Marcus Tibbs put up 12 points in the second half alone to total 16 alongside six assists. McLaughlin chipped in for 10 points and 11 rebounds, while fourth year Reiner Theil was key defensively with seven rebounds.
 
For Dalhousie third year Kashrell Lawrence was the driving force as the six-foot-two guard totaled 21 points and eight rebounds. Second year Sven Stammberger logged 14 points and nine rebounds, while Jarred Reid chipped in with eight points and eight rebounds. Dalhousie shot just 35 per cent from the field and struggled from the line going 6-for-17.
 
"It's something we have been trying to figure out – getting that first punch in and being strong off the get-go and we were trying to focus on that but they came out strong and we knew we had to answer," said Vikes forward Chris McLaughlin.
 
The Vikes got out to a slow start shooting just 35 per cent in the opening quarter as Dalhousie was out of the gate with a 9-2 lead until Victoria's nerves calmed. Just two players got on the board for the Vikes as McLaughlin put up six points and Sitton put up five. Dalhousie had five different scorers get on the board including a good early showing from Lawrence to boost the Tigers 15-11 entering the second.
 
Both teams struggled offensively in the second frame, each grabbing just 13 points. Six-foot-eight Sitton brought the Vikes back to life adding another four points to his total and playing a huge role defensively. Lawrence continued to do damage for Dalhousie as the AUS First Team All-Star finished the half with 10 points and the Tigers led by as much as eight. The Vikes continued to chip away until a Theil three from the corner got Victoria back within one, down 25-24. A free throw from Lawrence and an acrobatic jumper form Reid kept Dalhousie at the forefront, up 28-24, entering half time.
 
Jordan Charles hit a big three on the opening possession of the third quarter and it was the start of a Vikes 10-0 run highlighted by eight points from Tibbs. Dalhousie was held off the board for nearly four minutes until Richie Kanza Mata filled the drought. Lawrence picked up on the momentum shift to put up six points in the third as Victoria out-scored Dalhousie 22-14 in the quarter. The teams traded buckets all the way to the final second as Stammberger's and-one play had the game at 43-42 in Victoria's favour. Sitton dropped his second long bomb of the game at the buzzer to give the Vikes a 46-42 lead entering the fourth.
 
Other than one Tigers basket both teams went cold for the first six minutes of the fourth quarter. Dalhousie continued to close the gap thanks to the athleticism of both Lawrence and Cedrig Sonogo who combined for 10 of the team's 14 fourth-quarter points. The Vikes continued to find ways to score including an acrobatic floater from Tibbs to keep the Vikes up 53-47, while Sonogo hit a huge baseline three to get the game within one, just 55-54 for the Vikes. Victoria had possession with just 40 seconds left in the game and Mack Roth stepped out of bounds to turn the ball over.
 
Fittingly it was a layup from third year Lawrence that put Dalhousie in the lead 56-55 with 17 seconds to go. Back the other the way and the Vikes were able to find six-foot-ten McLaughlin in the paint but he was hauled down by Stammberger to put him at the line with eight seconds to go.
 
"Clarity," responded McLaughlin about what was going through his mind while on the line. "Quiet the noise and they are just two shots. Just keep them as simple as possible."
 
It was pressure to the max but the fifth-year veteran bounced both off the rim and in to give the Vikes the win, 57-56, and, ultimately, a spot in the CIS semifinals for the second-straight year.
 
"We were a bit of a sideshow offensively thanks to Dalhousie but the thing that kept us in the game was rebounds and stops and when the game was on the line at the end we got a key stop," added Craig Beaucamp, Vikes men's basketball head coach. "We have to defend and rebound and that's the price of admission when we play Carleton."
 
The Vikes are up against the powerhouse and defending champ Carleton Ravens on Mar. 14 at 6 p.m. EST / 3 p.m. PST.
 
SCORING SUMMARY
DAL: 15-13-14-14 : 56
UVIC: 11-13-22-11 : 57
 
SCORING LEADERS
DAL: Kashrell Lawrence (21), Sven Stammberger (14), Jarred Reid (8)
UVIC: Grant Sitton (19), Marcus Tibbs (16), Chris McLaughlin (10)
 
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
DAL: Sven Stammberger
UVIC: Grant Sitton
 
CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE & RESULTS

Thursday, March 12
11:00 Quarter-final 1: No. 1 Carleton 90, No. 8 Saskatchewan 50
13:00 Quarter-final 2: No. 4 Victoria 57, No. 5 Dalhousie 56
18:00 Quarter-final 3: No. 7 Ryerson vs. No. 2 Windsor (Rogers TV / www.CIS-SIC.tv) * 
20:00 Quarter-final 4: No. 6 Bishop's vs. No. 3 Ottawa (Rogers TV / www.CIS-SIC.tv) * 

Friday, March 13
14:00 Consolation 1: Saskatchewan vs. Loser QF 2 (Rogers TV / www.CIS-SIC.tv) * 
16:00 Consolation 2: Loser QF 3 vs. Loser QF 4 (Rogers TV / www.CIS-SIC.tv) * 

Saturday, March 14
14:00 5th-place game (Rogers TV / www.CIS-SIC.tv) * 
18:00 Semifinal 1: Carleton vs. Victoria (Sportsnet 360 / www.CIS-SIC.tv) ** 
20:30 Semifinal 2: Winner QF 3 vs. Winner QF 4 (Sportsnet 360 / www.CIS-SIC.tv) ** 

Sunday, March 15
11:30 Bronze (Rogers TV / www.CIS-SIC.tv) *  
15:00 Final (Sportsnet 360 & ONE / www.CIS-SIC.tv) ** 
 
All times above listed in Eastern Time.
* Rogers TV, Rogers TV Sports +, Super Sports Pak.
** The webcast of the semifinals & final are on pay-per-view basis.