Edmonton, Alta. – Capturing the 16th Canada West banner in program history, the second-seeded University of Victoria men's basketball team defeated the top-seeded University of Alberta, 70-64, in the Canada West gold medal game, March 19.

HOW IT HAPPENED
1st Quarter – UVic 18, Alberta 15

• Putting points on the board quickly, Alberta would take a 2-0 lead after the opening possession of the game.
• Two minutes in, Matthew Ellis put the first points on the board for the Vikes, making it a 4-2 game in favour of the Golden Bears.
• Widening the lead to seven points, Alberta would take an 11-4 lead at the halfway mark of the quarter.
• Diego Maffia and Sergio Pereira knocked down back-to-back buckets to pull the Vikes within one, 15-14, with 1:32 on the clock.
• A pair of free throws by Scott Kellum gave UVic its first lead of the night, 16-15, with just over one minute remaining.
• An Ellis jumper concluded the Vikes' 8-0 run over the final three minutes to give Victoria an 18-15 lead at the end of the first quarter.

2nd Quarter – Alberta 28, UVic 26

• The home side would knock down a jumper to pull within one to start the quarter, but an immediate response from the Vikes via Pereira jumper would push the Vikes' lead back to three, 20-17, with 8:14 on the clock.
• After just over three scoreless minutes by both sides, Elias Ralph broke the drought with a bucket to make it 22-17 for the Vikes with 4:41 on the clock.
• Continuing to be a back-and-forth contest, a jumper from Ellis was immediately responded to with a three from the Golden Bears to make it a two-point game, 24-22, with 3:27 remaining. A minute later, Alberta would pull within one, 24-23, with a free throw.
• A layup from Kellum pushed the Vikes back in front by three, 26-23, but would swiftly be met with a three by the Golden Bears to tie the game, 26-26, with 48 seconds until halftime.
• Adding two points with 22 seconds left, Alberta would take a 28-26 lead into the halftime break.

3rd Quarter – UVic 52, Alberta 44

• Kellum made the Vikes' first three-pointer of the night to tie the game, 29-29, with 9:08 on the clock.
• A layup from Maffia, followed by swipe and fastbreak layup by Dominick Oliveri put the Vikes back in front, 35-33, with 6:49 to go.
• Seven-straight points from Alberta made it 40-35 for the Golden Bears with 5:33 remaining in the frame.
• Back-to-back three's from Kellum put the Vikes back on top, 44-40, with 3:07 on the clock and force an Alberta timeout.
• A jumper from Pereira gave the Vikes their largest lead of the game to that point, 48-42, with two minutes to go.
• Four-straight Maffia free throw makes made it a 10-point game in the Vikes' favour, 52-42, with 28 seconds to go in the third.
• After holding the Golden Bears scoreless for nearly three minutes to end the quarter, Alberta would hit a layup at the buzzer to make it a 52-44 game at the end of the third.

4th Quarter – UVic 70, Alberta 64

• Ellis would add a point to the Vikes' lead with a free throw to open the fourth, but a three from Alberta would make it an eight-point game, 55-47, with 8:56 on the clock.
• The Golden Bears made it a five-point game on a free throw and layup, but Maffia would respond with a layup of his own to keep a seven-point spread, 57-50, with 6:54 remaining.
• With 4:33 on the clock, Alberta would pull within three, 59-56. However, Oliveri would knock down a jumper during the next Vikes possession to bring it back to a five-point game, 61-56, at 4:11.
• Trading baskets over the next three possessions, a Kellum jumper was met with one from Alberta, and in turn responded to with one from Ellis, forcing an Alberta timeout with 2:53 remaining and a 65-58 Vikes lead.
• Alberta would pull back within five, but a dunk by Ellis made it 69-62 for the Vikes and lead to a Golden Bears timeout with 18 seconds to go.
• A final free throw from Kellum sealed the gold medal victory for Victoria, 70-64.

WORTH NOTING

• The Vikes won their first Canada West basketball championship since the 2014-15 season and 16th overall with the win. In addition, the Vikes move to 20-1 on the season and hold a 19-game win streak.
• The loss marked the first of the season for Alberta, who were undefeated and ranked No. 2 by U SPORTS coming in to the game.
• Kellum led the way for the Vikes in the win with 20 points, five rebounds, and one steal.
• Ellis tallied 16 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks in the win, while Maffia added 10 points, two rebounds, and three assists in the title game.
• UVic was 0-for-12 from behind the arc at the half, and finished just 3-for-24.
• The Vikes were picked to finish third in the conference in the preseason poll, with one first-place vote.

THOUGHTS FROM MATTHEW ELLIS
"This game is something we look forward to all year. Alberta was undefeated, and we were looking to come in here and shake things up. Our group is just so special, one through 15. We just grinded together, and this is what it is all about- having fun and enjoying what we do."

"We have so much depth on this team. I know every night I don't have to do anything special, just follow what my team does and it'll lead to victory."

UP NEXT
The Vikes await seeding for the U SPORTS National Championship, set for April 1-3 in Edmonton, Alta.