The UBC women’s basketball team beat the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack in a 79–35 blowout win on Friday night at War Memorial Gym.
Mona Berlitz led UBC's offence with a showstopping first half performance. Berlitz could not miss from the line as she went 10 for 10 in free throws, and she ended the game with a double-double of 22 points, 10 rebounds and 5 steals.
“We tried to play a lot of defence and play aggressive,” said Berlitz, “and I feel like getting a lot of tips and steals helped me a lot.”
Olivia Weekes also put up a solid game as a consistent player for the T-Birds, earning herself a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
It was a fast-paced game as both teams started with high-intensity play which they kept up throughout the game. The Thunderbirds' defence really shined as they forced 40 turnovers, which they earned 34 points off of, and got 19 steals.
Weekes earned the first points for the ‘Birds with a stunning three-pointer at the top of the arc. In the seventh minute, Berlitz’s intensity earned her a steal and she got a breakaway to make an easy layup.
Ending the first quarter up 25–10, the Thunderbirds came into the second quarter with the same intensity. In the 14th minute, fifth-year Jessica Clarke earned six points in one minute, starting with two free throws when fouled under the net. She then made two sharp baskets in the paint putting UBC up 40–18.
Weekes’ defence forced a shot clock violation by TRU, one of many in the game, as UBC kept pressure on the Wolfpack. Berlitz made a jumper in the last minute of the second quarter putting UBC up 49–22 to end the first half.
In the fourth minute of the third quarter, Weekes was fouled when driving to the net and made both free throws as UBC’s ability to draw the foul and free throw accuracy helped further their lead. In the seventh minute Clarke made a jumper to bring the score to 56–25.
In the fourth quarter, the T-Birds’s solid defence continued as they held the Wolfpack to only four points. In the fourth minute, first-year Keira Daly stole the ball and passed it to Sara Toneguzzi who bounced it back to Daly in a give and go for the score. This play started UBC on a 8–0 scoring run. The Thunderbirds only continued to strengthen their lead from there and ended the game 79–35 with a 44 point lead.
UBC hosted two separate teams back-to-back as they played University of Northern BC Timberwolves the following night in War Memorial Gym.
“This is what happens in the playoffs … you have to be ready to play different opponents back to back nights or sometimes with a day in between,” said UBC head coach Isabel Ormond. “[It’s] a good challenge for us in season, which you don't often get.”
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