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The MacEwan University Griffins were serenaded by School鈥檚 Out by Alice Cooper, over the PA, as they departed Ken and Kathy Shields Court on Saturday night.
Indeed, the 3 p.m. bell sounded on the Griffins鈥� season as the University of Victoria Vikes defeated MacEwan 68-60 to sweep their best-of-three sa国际传媒 West first-round women鈥檚 basketball playoff series 2-0.
The Vikes, eliminated by the Griffins in the second round last season, advanced to face the conference regular-season champion and U Sports national seventh-ranked Winnipeg Wesmen in this year鈥檚 best-of-three second round beginning Thursday in Winnipeg.
There鈥檚 still a long time until spring break for the Vikes. They will automatically advance to the U Sports national championship tournament March 9-12 at CARSA as host, regardless of how far they get in the sa国际传媒 West playoffs.
MacEwan led 37-32 Saturday at the half.
鈥淸MacEwan] played us tough. That鈥檚 playoff basketball when someone鈥檚 season is on the line,鈥� said Vikes coach Dani Sinclair.
鈥淭hen we started to play good defence in the second half and Jenna Krug took over on offence.鈥�
Krug, UVic鈥檚 outside sniper, hit for 22 points.
鈥淲e knew it was going to be hard because they were battling for their lives,鈥� said Krug.
鈥淏ut we finished strongly. We are a team that never gives up.鈥�
Nicole Karstein had 14 points for UVic and Jenna Bugiardini 12. Kendall Lydon led the Griffins with 16 points.
Meanwhile, the host Lethbridge Pronghorns staged a withering rally and outscored the UVic Vikes men鈥檚 team 33-17 in the fourth quarter Saturday night for a 94-85 victory in the second game to sweep their best-of-three opening round sa国际传媒 West playoff series 2-0.
UVic was leading 68-59 late in the third quarter, but could not withstand the unrelenting Pronghorns onslaught in the fourth quarter.
Hassan Abdullahi and Grant Sitton finished with 23 points each for UVic.
The Vikes were 9-11 in conference in the regular season and the sa国际传媒 West 10th seed while Lethbridge was 13-7 and the fifth seed. The Pronghorns swept both regular-season, and now both playoff games, against the Vikes as UVic star senior Sitton鈥檚 U Sports career came to an end.
