UNBC Timberwolves Extend Winless Streak with Loss to UBCO Heat

The UNBC Timberwolves remain without a victory this season following a 61-40 defeat against the UBC Okanagan Heat on March 2, 2024, in Kelowna. This loss marks the Timberwolves’ seventh consecutive setback, leaving them with a record of 0-7. The game was competitive for much of the evening, but a decisive 20-9 run in the fourth quarter allowed UBCO to secure their second win over UNBC in as many days.

Tsuki Tsuzuki led the scoring for UBCO with 15 points, while Claire Huang stood out for UNBC, achieving a career-high of 11 points. In addition, Aurora Cabrera contributed eight points and secured 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves.

A strong start for UBCO saw them leading 7-2 early in the game, with contributions from Lily Pink, Tennyson McCarthy, and Tsuzuki. UNBC responded with their initial points from Amrit Manak and Huang, and with two minutes left in the first quarter, UBCO held a narrow 13-9 advantage. A late three-pointer from Kiana Kaczur allowed the Heat to finish the quarter ahead 16-9.

The second quarter showcased a defensive struggle, with both teams managing only three points each in the opening minutes. Cabrera’s second field goal reduced UNBC’s deficit to five points at 19-14. The Timberwolves closed the gap further with back-to-back free-throws from Cabrera and a three-pointer from Viktoriia Filatova, narrowing UBCO’s lead to just one at 21-20. However, UBCO quickly regained their momentum, with two buckets from McCarthy and a long shot from Tsuzuki ending the half at 27-20 in favor of the Heat.

At halftime, Cabrera led UNBC with seven points and four rebounds, while McCarthy had eight points for UBCO. Ava Heppner was the rebound leader for the Heat at that point, having secured eight boards.

The Timberwolves continued their determined play in the third quarter, with Huang and Manak scoring consecutive layups to bring the team within four points. Despite their efforts, UBCO countered with a 10-3 run, leading 41-31 as the final quarter approached.

This defeat follows a 72-48 loss for UNBC against UBCO on the previous day, marking a challenging weekend for the Timberwolves. Looking ahead, UNBC will seek to break their winless streak next weekend as they face the UFV Cascades on March 8 and 9, 2024.