Edmonton, Alta. – The University of Victoria men's basketball team opened its final road series of the Canada West regular season with a 95-47 win over MacEwan University, Feb. 9 in the Dr. David W. Atkinson Gymansium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Five-straight points from a Shadynn Smid layup and Aaron Tesfagiorgis three put the Vikes ahead, 5-0, in the first minute of play.
• Though the Griffins pulled within one, 7-6, three layups from Diego Maffia, pair of free throws by Griffin Arnatt, and a dunk from Elias Ralph completed a 10-0 run for the 17-6 Vikes lead with 4:12 remaining in the first quarter.
• Maintaining a double-digit lead for the remainder of the quarter, the Vikes held a 22-9 lead after the first 10 minutes of play.
• A 7-0 Victoria run via a Ralph layup, Maffia layup, and Arnatt three extended UVic's lead to 34-18 with 5:32 still on the clock in the second quarter.
• Holding MacEwan scoreless for the final two and a half minutes of the second quarter, the Vikes went into the halftime break ahead 45-23.
• Pushing the lead to 30 points in the third quarter, an 8-0 Vikes run capped by a Maffia layup put Victoria ahead, 60-30, with 4:25 remaining in the third.
• A free throw from Renoldo Robinson in the final seconds of the frame put the Vikes ahead by a score of 72-39 after three quarters.
• Outscoring MacEwan 23-8 in the fourth quarter, the Vikes came away with the 95-47 win.

WORTH NOTING

• Maffia led the Vikes with 18 points in the win. Also tying his career-high with 10 assists, Maffia recorded his first double-double of the season and third of his Vikes career.
• Four other Vikes finished with double-digit scoring nights in Ralph (16), Robinson (14), Ethan Boag (10), and Tesfagiorgis (10).
• Arnatt led the Vikes with seven rebounds in the win, also posting a team-high three steals.
• The Vikes improve to 14-3 on the year with the win, while MacEwan falls to 0-19 with the loss. 

UP NEXT
The Vikes and Griffins face off once again tomorrow, Feb. 10 at 1 p.m. MT.