The University of Victoria Vikes men聮s basketball team didn聮t have any defence for the long ball on Wednesday at McKinnon Gym.
The Lakehead University Thunderwolves of Thunder Bay drained 13 three-pointers en route to an 80-71 Canadian Interuniversity Sport pre-season win.
It was the final tune-up for the Vikes as they open the sa国际传媒 West season on Nov. 2-3 at McKinnon against the UBC-Okanagan Heat from Kelowna.
The Vikes started slowly in the first quarter before picking up the pace in the second quarter with some solid rebounding.
But the Vikes made too many mistakes and when they did, Lakehead took full advantage.
聯Our effort was very good tonight but we made too many mental mistakes against a good basketball team,聮聮 said Vikes聮 coach Craig Beaucamp. 聯We allowed too much penetration tonight and then they were kicking the ball out for those threes. We have to correct some problems before the start of the sa国际传媒 West season.聰
The Vikes trailed 22-14 after the first quarter and the teams were tied 34-34 at the half.
All of Lakehead聮s five starters 聴 Ryan Thomson, Matt Schmidt, Greg Carter, Ben Johnson and Joe Hart 聴 hit double figures. Thompson led the way with 19 points, including five three-point bombs. Hart chipped in with 15 points, while Schmidt and Johnson each had 12. Carter had 10 points and six assists.
For most of last season, the Thunderwolves were ranked No. 2 in sa国际传媒, behind the defending champion Carleton Ravens.
At last year聮s nationals, Lakehead was knocked to the consolation event after losing its opener 83-71 to the Fraser Valley Cascades.
聯It has been all positives to play some of the best teams in sa国际传媒 during the exhibition season,聰 said UVic聮s Michael Acheampong. 聯I thought Lakehead was very beatable tonight and we just came up a little short.
聯I was a little hyper to start the game and I took some stupid fouls that hurt me and my team. We did pick it up in the second quarter and we were getting some good looks inside which was one of our goals.
聯It has been a very long pre-season and I聮m ready to start the sa国际传媒 West campaign to see how much progress we have made.聰
Acheampong paced the Vikes with 18 points, while Terrell Evans added 17.
This has been an extended road trip for the Thunderwolves as they left home last Wednesday for a tournament in Saskatoon against the Saskatchewan Huskies, Concordia Stingers and Regina Cougars. Lakehead finished with a 2-1 record, losing to Saskatchewan.
The Thunderwolves are right back into exhibition play tonight in Abbotsford against the Cascades and then the University of Northern sa国际传媒 on Friday. The Thunderwolves conclude the trip on Saturday with a visit to the University of sa国际传媒 Thunderbirds at War Memorial Gym.
