鈥淚t was gritty and tough and we won the 50-50 balls,鈥� said UVic coach Dani Sinclair.
Trailing by 10 points at the half, the Vikes rallied to defeat the Wesmen 74-69 in the second game Friday. The Wesmen, with the best record in the sa国际传媒 West regular season at 18-2 and ranked No. 6 nationally in U Sports, won 82-70 in the opening game Thursday.
鈥淲e finally controlled the pace and learned not to be so rushed,鈥� said Sinclair.
鈥淲e had tried to beat them at their own game. Today, we slowed them down with our defence. A low-scoring game is in our favour.鈥�
Keeping the potent Wesmen to 38.2 percent shooting from the field helped negate UVic鈥檚 own tepid shooting of 35.4 percent.
This was the type of game that is decided at ground level in the metaphorical muck as the Vikes took the gloss off Winnipeg鈥檚 usually polished offence.
鈥淲e got hands up, contested shots, and got rebounds. We were diving across the floor to get loose balls,鈥� said Sinclair.
This wasn鈥檛 a game for the more refined players. It wasn鈥檛 about the niceties. It was won by the diggers, defenders and hustlers.
鈥淭he goal in these sorts of games is to outlast. We showed toughness and resilience,鈥� said Sinclair.
The Wesmen鈥檚 overall previous three wins, including the final two games of the regular season at CARSA gym, had been against UVic.
The Wesmen earned a first-round bye.
The Vikes (12-8 in conference in regular season) are the sixth seed and swept the MacEwan University Griffins 2-0 in the opening-round of the playoffs last weekend.
UVic forwards Jenna Bugiardini, with 20 points, and Nicole Karstein, with 19, played with power Friday in Winnipeg and made the Wesmen defenders act like bumper cars in the key. And pay for it. Bugiardini went 10-for-10 at the line and Karstein nine-for-11 and that proved the difference.
鈥淛enna and Nicole attacked inside and drew contact,鈥� added Sinclair.
Amira Giannattasio hit for 21 points for UVic from the outside, including four-of-six from three-point land.
Regardless of today鈥檚 Game 3 outcome, the Vikes are guaranteed a host berth in the 2017 U Sports national championship tournament March 9-12 at CARSA gym.
The Wesmen鈥檚 season, however, is on the line today. Despite their sa国际传媒 No. 6 ranking, there is no chance for them to even be considered for a wildcard berth into the eight-team U Sports national tournament if they don鈥檛 at least advance to the sa国际传媒 West Final Four next weekend.
鈥淜nowing this is it for them might make the Wesmen tight [for today鈥檚 deciding game],鈥� said Sinclair.
There will be no complacency on her players鈥� part, vowed Sinclair, even with the rare cushion of knowing they have a host berth into nationals: 鈥淲e don鈥檛 need to mention how much we want this. We have always said we want to earn our way into the national tournament.鈥�
