Edmonton, Alta. – Closing out the 2022 U SPORTS Final 8 presented by Westin Edmonton, the University of Victoria men's basketball team fell to Dalhousie University, 98-72, in the consolation final, April 3.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st Quarter – Dalhousie 26, UVic 16

• Dalhousie opened the game scoring, knocking down a three in their first possession. However, Matthew Ellis responded with the Vikes' first points of the game, making it a 3-2 game with 9:24 on the clock.
• Four more points from Ellis and two from Aaron Tesfagiorgis kept the Vikes close behind the Tigers, resulting in a 10-8 game with 6:07 on the clock.
• Breaking away, Dalhousie embarked on a 14-0 run, taking a 24-8 lead with 2:22 to go in the first quarter.
• Ethan Boag ended the Vikes' scoring drought with 1:14 on the clock, tipping the ball in for a layup and score of 24-10 for the Tigers.
• Diego Maffia nailed two three's in the final minute to make it a 10-point, 26-16 game at the end of the first quarter.

2nd Quarter – Dalhousie 46, UVic 34

• Cutting the Tigers' lead to six, a layup from Dominick Oliveri was followed with a steal and fastbreak layup by Maffia, making it a 26-20 game with 9:12 on the clock.
• Four unanswered points by Dalhousie pushed the deficit back to 10, 32-22, with 7:58 remaining.
• Getting a stop on the defensive end, Elias Ralph made a layup and later free throw to bring the Vikes back within six, 38-32, with 2:23 until halftime.
• Five-straight Tigers points brought Dalhousie's lead back to double-digits, 43-32, with under two minutes to go.
• The Tigers sunk a three in the final seconds to take a 46-34 lead into halftime.

3rd Quarter – Dalhousie 73, UVic 50

• Ellis added two points for the Vikes in the opening seconds of the third, bring the gap back to 10 points, 46-36 with 9:44 on the clock.
• Six-straight points from Oliveri cut Dalhousie's lead to single digits, 51-42, with 6:55 remaining the in the quarter.
• A 9-2 run from the Tigers pushed their lead to 60-44, until Maffia drilled a three to make it a 60-47 game with 4:03 to go.
• Six-straight points from Tigers closed the third quarter, with Dalhousie leading 73-50.

4th Quarter – Dalhousie 98, Dalhousie 72

• Bringing the deficit back down to 20, Ralph sunk a three to make it a 73-53 game with 9:42 remaining.
• After Dalhousie's lead reached 27, the Vikes put together a 7-0 run, capped with a Kellum three to bring the score to 86-66 in favour of the Tigers with 3:05 to go.
• Unable to make up any more ground, the Vikes fell to Dalhousie, 98-72.

WORTH NOTING

• The Vikes close the season with an overall record of 21-3 after a 1-2 showing at the U SPORTS Final 8. The 2021-22 UVic squad captured the Canada West banner and a sixth-place U SPORTS finish.
• The Nike Top Performer of the Game was awarded to Diego Maffia, who registered a team-high 18 points, making four three's, and adding two rebounds.
• Ellis notched 17 points, adding one rebound and two assists for the Vikes, while Ralph finished with 12 points, one rebound and two assists to close the season.
• Oliveri rounded out the Vikes' double-digit scorers with 10 points, also adding nine rebounds and two assists against the Tigers.

THAT'S A WRAP
The Vikes' 2021-22 season has come to an end with the completion of the U SPORTS Final 8 tournament.