Maybe the UBC Thunderbirds will be exactly what the doctor ordered for both University of Victoria Vikes basketball teams.
After suffering a fourth straight sa国际传媒 West loss on Saturday afternoon, the Vikes women will look to snap out of it back at home next weekend.
A rough second quarter in Winnipeg on Saturday led to a 71-50 setback to the host Wesmen and the Vikes now find themselves at 5-9 in the standings, while their opponents on the day moved up to 4-8 in the Pioneer Division.
The men were also swept in a 77-64 loss on Saturday.
鈥淭heir press, all weekend, killed us. We turned over the ball and gave them good looks,鈥� said Vikes women鈥檚 coach Dani Sinclair.
Among them were several three-point attempts, which Kerri Kuzbyt promptly knocked down on her way to a 20-point outing (with four three-pointers). Skylar Boulanger added 18 for the hosts, while Kristy Gallagher was the lone Vike to crack double digits with 12.
In the end, it was a disappointing two outings as the Vikes also lost by 10 on Friday night.
鈥淚t was a big weekend for us. We鈥檙e in a fight for our lives, just as Winnipeg is,鈥� Sinclair said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e making it difficult for ourselves, but we can鈥檛 get overly concerned about it now. Being back in our own gym next weekend will help. It鈥檚 UBC, which is always a big weekend against a big rival.
鈥淲e need to get rested and ready.鈥�
The Vikes led 19-17 after the first quarter, but found themselves down 39-25 at the half after a miserable second quarter.
At one stretch Victoria had two straight shot-clock violations, followed by a three-point attempt off the rim, then gave up a steal and took yet another shot-clock violation.
鈥淒isorganization, and that鈥檚 part of what Winnipeg does [with its press]. They take you out of [synch] and we didn鈥檛 prepare or execute well enough against it,鈥� said Sinclair, whose team committed 21 turnovers.
The Vikes men, meanwhile, slip to 7-7 in the Pioneer Division, allowing Winnipeg to improve to 7-5 in a tight race to the playoffs.
Down 20-16 after the first quarter, Victoria clawed back to a 32-29 lead at halftime, but then trailed after the third by a 47-46 margin.
Winnipeg built up a 10-point lead in the pivotal fourth before the Vikes cut it to within three points on several occasions.
Jelan Pryce finished with 22 points for the victors, while teammates Denzel Lynch-Blair and Jamar Farley added 19 and 18, respectively.
Reiner Theil with 15, Brandon Dunlop, 14, and Jordan Charles, 13, replied for Victoria.
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