VICTORIA – The University of Victoria women's basketball team downed the No. 6-ranked team in the country, University of British Columbia, 78-75, in an overtime win Jan. 23 at CARSA Performance Gym.
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Vikes remain in front through first half

• The Vikes opened the game by taking a 5-0 lead on a three from Natalie Allison and free throws by Tana Pankratz in the first 90 seconds.
• Though UBC pulled back within one, 5-4, back-to-back Victoria three-pointers from Karis de Paiva and Meike Boerstra gave the Vikes an 11-4 cushion with 5:42 to go in the first.
• Five-straight UBC points pulled the 'Birds within two, 19-17, with one minute to go, but Allison hit a free throw to bring the score to 20-17 for UVic after the first 10 minutes of play.
• Mimi Sigue gave the Vikes a six-point lead, 24-18, at the 8:04 mark of the second quarter, but the Thunderbirds hit two-straight three's to tie the game, 24-24 with 7:16 to play. Back-to-back jumpers from Abigail Becker and Sigue put the Vikes back in front, 28-24, with 5:40 still on the clock.
• The score would be even again at the 4:28 mark, 30-30, but five-straight Vikes points from a Pankratz jumper, Becker free throw, and two Sigue free throws put the home side back on top, 35-30, with 1:20 to go.
• Pankratz and UBC each hit a three in their final possessions of the half to make the score 38-35 in favour of UVic at half, with both sides scoring 18 points in the second frame.

UBC gets first lead in second half 

• Back-and-forth for much of the third, the Vikes kept a slim lead over the Thunderbirds until a UBC three gave the visiting side their first lead of the night, 49-48, with 2:47 to go.
• UBC tied the game, 51-51, with 1:20 to go, before scoring one more layup to take the 53-51 lead at the end of the third quarter.
• A quick bucket to open the fourth quarter gave UBC the four-point lead, 55-51, but was quickly erased by a successful three-point play from Sigue and a de Paiva jumper to put the Vikes back in front, 56-55, with six minutes to go.
• One tie and six lead changes later, UBC took the 69-67 lead with 39 seconds to play. Undeterred, Sigue knocked down a layup for the Vikes with two seconds on the clock to send the game to overtime tied at 69-69 at the end of regulation.

Vikes close out win in overtime

• Trading baskets to open up the overtime period, UBC went on to take a three-point lead, 75-72, with three minutes to play.
• Four-straight Vikes points on a pair of Pankratz free throws and a Sigue layup put the Vikes back in front, 76-75, with 1:03 remaining.
• Joaleah Tuaps-Singh sealed the Vikes' win, making two free throws with one second left after being intentionally fouled to bring the final score to 78-75 in favour of the Vikes.

WORTH NOTING

• Five Vikes finished with double-digit scoring performances in Abigail Becker (15), Mimi Sigue (14), Natalie Allison (14), Tana Pankratz (13), and Karis de Paiva (11).
• de Paiva recorded her second double-double of the season, adding a team-high 11 rebounds to her 11 points in the win.
• Pankratz led the Vikes with five blocks, which also ties for most in a single Canada West game this season. She added team-highs in assists (4) and steals (3) on the night.
• The Vikes' 78 points are the most scored by the team in a Canada West game in 2024-25.
• Victoria improves to 8-5 on the year with the win, while UBC moves to 12-2 with the loss.

UP NEXT
The Vikes host UBC Okanagan Saturday, Jan. 25 at 2 p.m. at CARSA Performance Gym. Get your tickets here or watch the game on Canada West TV presented by BioSteel.