Box Score VICTORIA – After getting run out of the gym last night, the Brandon University Bobcats looked like a completely rejuvenated squad when they returned to the CARSA Performance Gym on Saturday night for the Canada West rematch. 

The Bobcats brought the fight to the University of Victoria Vikes in the first half. The Vikes needed a third-quarter explosion to hold off the Manitobans, eventually winning 85-62.

"I just tried to get in a groove. My teammates did a good job to find me in certain spots and got me going. After that, I just kept looking for my shot," said Scott Kellum, who played a huge role in the third-quarter momentum swing.

Captain Kellum drilled three consecutive threes – four total in the third quarter – as part of a 13-0 run by the Vikes in the frame.

"That's my dude. Everytime he puts up the ball, I know it's going in. Those shots gave us a ton of momentum and carried us to victory," said Vikes guard Aaron Tesfagiorgis.

But before Kellum caught fire, the Vikes needed stops in the first half.

"We knew going in that they battled back last weekend after losing by 30 to Calgary on the Friday and were up late in the fourth on the Saturday. So we knew there was going to be some pushback. We had a tough time scoring early and they hit some shots which made it tough on us," said Vikes Head Coach Craig Beaucamp. "It was our defence that kept us in it, kept them to 37 at half and allowed us to get back into it."

The Bobcats came out and won the first quarter on Ken & Kathy Shields Court on the strength of a pair of shots from downtown by the third-year forward Shun Williams.

Anthony Tsegakele led the Bobcats with 23 points last night and got going early by carving his way to the rim around a couple screens for five early points. He had enough juice in his legs to follow up his own miss and beat one of the top rebounders in the Canada West, Dom Oliveri, for the tip in.

The Bobcats are no strangers to heaving from deep. Last night, it didn't work so well, as they went 4-for-35. In the rematch, they eclipsed that mark three minutes into the second quarter. The Bobcats entered this evening fifth in the Canada West at completing their threes knocking them in at a 34.5 per cent clip.

The Vikes kept fouling the Bobcats' three-point shooters in the first half, which staked them to an early 28-19 lead. The Bobcats were 6-for-11 from three in the first half, but struggled in the second half and finished 8-for-23.

"We knew we had to bring the energy. We expected them to come out stronger and they hit some shots in the first half," said Tesfagiorgis. "I just try and play the best defence, hit a couple shots and give my teammates the best version of me possible."

 The sophomore Tesfagiorgis was a big reason why the Vikes only trailed 37-33 at the break, as he nailed three threes as well. Along with the buckets, he also recorded four assists and produced three rebounds in the opening 20.

"I thought he was very good defensively tonight. He locked down whoever he guarded and he made it a tough night for the Bobcats tonight," said Beaucamp.

Williams continued to pick and pop, as he knocked down trays and had 10 points at the break after going 3-for-4 from downtown. Williams picked up his third foul early in the second half and was forced to sit for a bit.

Williams' teammate. Jaleel Webb, drained a trio of threes as well in the first half and ended the evening with 13 points.

After going 0-for-4 last night from the land beyond Jason Scully hit a corner three in the second and third quarter to bring the Vikes within one in the third quarter.

With Williams on the bench in the third, the Vikes seized control and won the frame 26-9.

The Bobcats ran out of gas in the final frame, but not before Hans Befus drained a three late in regulation.

The Vikes (4-2) head to Calgary next weekend for a pair of games with the Mount Royal University Cougars (3-2). The Bobcats (1-7) now embark on a home-and-home series with the University of Winnipeg Wesmen (2-6). The first game of that series goes Nov. 28 in Winnipeg and returns to Brandon on Dec. 2.