WBB GIVE SFU A SCARE BUT FALL SHORT IN FIRST OF WEEKEND SERIES February 5, 2010
Posted by lread in Women's Basketball.trackback
Lindsay Dekoff (A. Snucins photo)
The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack gave the Simon Fraser Clan a run for it’s money in the first quarter of their Canada West women’s basketball game at the Tournament Capital Center on Friday night (Feb 5 th). But, like 14 opponents before them, the WolfPack didn’t have enough to follow through as the Clan captured their 15 th straight win of the season and extended their overall winning streak to 53 games. The score at the TCC was 88-49 in favour of SFU. The Clan are now 15 and 0 on the season. TRU dips to 3 and 14.
The WolfPack’s defensive strategy in the first quarter seemed to have the Clan on their heels. The teams were tied at 17 until Carly Graham (3rd year, guard, Surrey, BC) put in a three pointer at the buzzer to give the Clan a three point lead. They then went on a 22-4 run to take a 45-28 lead at the half.
“Our team battled hard,” said WolfPack head coach Scott Reeves. “If they didn’t h it that three pointer at the buzzer, it would have seen the number one team in the country tied with a team that is not number one. It was a great effort in that quarter. We played our defensive scheme the way we wanted to. But, they are a huge team and they created some match up problems for us. I knew rebounding would be a problem for us. “ The Clan outrebounded TRU 44-29 in the contest.
From the first quarter on, although the WolfPack players tried valiantly to get back into the game, they were overmatched by the more experienced Clan.
“When they get that amount of chances to score from the floor (47 per cent) they are going to make it.” Reeves stated.
The Clan had three players in double figures. Laurelle Weigl (4th year, post, Stony Plain, Alta)had 20 points. Kate Hole (4th year, post, St. Albert, Alta) chipped in with 11 points and Nayo Raincock-Ekuwe (1st year, post, Vernon, BC) chipped in with 10.
SFU coach Bruce Langford acknowledged that his team did put on a basketball clinic at times during the contest. “We are pretty deep,” he said. “ If someone has an off night, somebody else steps up. We certainly had a lot of success this year…averaging 89 points per game and giving up the low 50’s. This game was typical of many nights.”
The WolfPack were led by Kaitlyn Widsten (3rd year, guard, Tswwassen, BC) and Kayla Forsyth (3rd year, forward, Vernon, BC) with eight points a piece. Forsyth was named the TRU Bookstore “Leader of the Pack” player of the game.
Reeves was pleased with the character his team showed until the end. “ They did put in a good effort. I have never challenged the work ethic of this team. We are young and we still make mistakes. We have to grow out of those mistakes and take care of the basketball. We had stretches of three or four minutes where we wouldn’t have a shot. We turned it over. But, we’ll get over that.”
The same two teams will close out the Canada West regular season Saturday (Feb 6) at the Tournament Capital Center. Tip off is 6 pm.
DOUBLE DRIBBLES: The game saw the return of WolfPack guard Beth McNeill (2nd year, North Vancouver, BC). “ It was nice to see her feeling OK,” Reeves stated . “Finally her back is feeling better. She had only five practices up to the second weekend of the second half of the season. I knew we had to get a lot of people in because of the match up problems. I thought she did well.”
McNeill wound up with three points and two rebounds in 14 minutes of court time.
TRU WOLFPACK ATHLETICS: PROUD HOSTS OF THE 2010 CIS MENS NATIONAL VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS-MARCH 12-14 TH TOURNAMENT CAPITAL CENTER, KAMLOOPS BC
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