The UNBC Timberwolves won the PACWEST Provincial Basketball Championship with a 62-53 win over the VIU Mariners. The T’Wolves Mercedes VanKoughnett was named Player of the Game and Tournament MVP as she finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists in the final game. Brittany Knievel of the Mariners was named Player of the Game, and also to the tournament All-Star team. Also named All-Stars were Shayna Worthington (VIU) and Jennifer Clyne (UNBC).
The game started with the Timberwolves leading by as much as 10 points. The Mariners climbed back, led by Knievel’s 8 points in the quarter. Clyne scored 10 points in the quarter, burying a couple three-pointers, but the Mariners led 16-15 after the first.
The Timberwolves scored 16 straight points to start the second quarter, capped off with a three-pointer from Jen Bruce. The Timberwolves stretched the lead to 34-18 and finished the half up 35-22, outscoring VIU 20-6 in the quarter. The Mariners were just 6/12 from the free throw strip in the half, while UNBC went 4/7. The Timberwolves had committed just 4 turnovers to the Mariners’ 11.
Jocelyn Jones scored five straight points as the Mariners tried to fight their way back into the game, leading into a 7-2 run that saw them trailing just 44-36. But Jen Bruce ended the run with consecutive three-pointers that quickly put the Wolves back up 50-36.
Another Knibbs trey to open the fourth made it 53-38 early in the 4th. A 7-0 Mariners run, ending with Worthington’s three-pointer, forced UNBC to call time-out, leading 55-47. But MVP Merceds VanKoughnett buried a three and the Mariners never got close enough to challenge. Late in the game the Timberwolves buried some key free throws, still leading 58-50 in the last minute as they claimed the Gold medal and will compete at the CCAA National Championships.