VICTORIA – The University of Victoria women's basketball team held off a second-half push by Trinity Western University to claim the 71-63 win, Jan. 11 inside CARSA Performance Gym.
 
SHOOTING FOR THE CURE

• The Vikes' game against the Spartans served as their annual Shoot for the Cure game, the annual initiative by U SPORTS member schools to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research. The Vikes raised over $4,500 via online donations and an in-game raffle, and that total is set to increase with the auctioning of their game-used pink jerseys.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Hot shooting gives Vikes double-digit lead after first quarter

• Karis de Paiva put the first five points of the game on the board for the Vikes, knocking down a three in the opening minute and followed with a jumper for the 5-2 Vikes lead with 8:08 to go.
• Continuing to forge ahead, a Mimi Sigue layup put the Vikes ahead by double-digits, 19-8, with four minutes to go in the opening quarter.
• Back-to-back buckets from Meike Boerstra on a jumper followed by a swipe-and-score fastbreak layup put Victoria ahead 23-8 with two minutes to go.
• Shooting 50% from the field (9-18) while holding the Spartans to 21.1% (4-19), UVic held a 23-10 lead at the end of the first frame.

Vikes remain in front at the half

• In response to Trinity Western's bucket that opened the second quarter, de Paiva and Abigail Becker scores gave Victoria a 25-12 lead with 8:14 to go in the second.
• Two free throws by Joaleah Tupas-Singh gave the Vikes their largest lead of the game, 38-20, with just over two minutes until halftime.
• Trinity Western ended the frame scoring five points, bringing the score to 40-30 in favour of the Vikes at the half.

Spartans try to charge back in second half; Vikes' defence holds strong to close it out

• The Spartans pulled within six, 40-34, in the opening minutes of the third quarter, until a Pankratz bucket put points in the Vikes' column, 42-36, with 7:45 to play.
• Though a three by TWU cut UVic's lead to five, 44-39, a Becker layup and three from Natalie Allison restored their double-digit lead, 49-39, with 5:39 to go.
• Makena Anderson's layup followed by a pair of Tana Pankratz free throws gave the Vikes a 55-43 lead at the end of the third quarter.
• A 10-0 Spartan run pulled the visiting side within four, 62-58, with just over three minutes on the clock, until a Pankratz three brought the Vikes' lead back up to 65-58 with two and a half minutes to play.
• A successful and-one by Trinity Western made it a two-point game, 65-63, with 1:30 to go, but a banked three from Allison followed by a de Paiva three at the buzzer closed out the win for the Vikes, 71-63. 

FROM THE COURT – Natalie Allison
"I think we started out really well playing as a team and pushing the pace. Lots of ball movement, and we really worked together in that first quarter. We let up a little bit in the second and third quarters just on little things, but we came back together in the fourth and really tightened up those little things. We have to make sure we keep staying strong consistently and not go through those ups and downs through the quarters."
 
On her season-high scoring performance:
"I'm gaining confidence as a first year, and having the confidence from my team in me to put me in positions to do my best. I'm still learning for sure, but I'm also trying to put others in positions to do well as well. Our team dynamic is getting a lot stronger, and I feel really confident in those relationships on the court, which is helpful."

WORTH NOTING

• Tana Pankratz and Natalie Allison led the Vikes with 18 points each, marking a season-high for Allison. Pankratz and Allison each recorded a team-high three assists, while Allison added six rebounds to her stat line.
• Mimi Sigue led the Vikes with 10 rebounds, adding four points and tying for the team-high with three assists.
• Karis de Paiva added 12 points, six rebounds and one steal in the win.
• The Vikes made 10 three-pointers in the win, marking the most in a single game this season (previous high: 6).
• Victoria moves to 5-5 on the year after the win, while Trinity Western now sits at 6-5. 

UP NEXT
The Vikes travel to Prince George and Kamloops, B.C. for a split weekend at the University of Northern British Columbia (Jan. 16) and Thompson Rivers University (Jan. 18). Catch the games on Canada West TV presented by BioSteel.