November 17 - Following a close, 66-65 loss on Friday night to Victoria, the Bisons (0-6) were looking for a weekend split at the Investors Group Athletic Centre. On Saturday night, the UBC Thunderbirds (6-1), and their three-game-winning-streak came to town.

Much of the game was too close to call until the midway-point in the third when UBC began to pull away for the 86-71 win.

“The scores in our six games aren’t any indication of how good of a team we are,” said head coach Rick Suffield. “We’re right there, we just need to get over the hump, get the first win, and then our record will improve.”

“It’s like the old saying in sport,” said Suffield. “It’s not how you start the season, it’s how you end it.”

In a tight opening quarter, the two teams were trading baskets for the most part. With three minutes left in the frame Bison forward Myron Dean came up with a huge block to keep the game within one at 14-13 for UBC. Clarence Smith then shot a basket from beyond the arc to take the lead for the Bisons.

The Thunderbirds were ahead by one at 19-18, when the second quarter got underway. The back-and-forth affair continued well into the half between the two teams. With nine seconds left in the half Smith brought the game back within one by making two free throws, with the Thunderbirds holding the 32-31 lead going in to recess.

UBC’s Chris Dyck stood out from the rest with 14 points and three assists at the break. Brian Crowe had seven points for the Herd in the first half.

When the third got underway, The Bisons’ confidence was up right from the first whistle, and they seemed poised to take the lead, which they did midway through the frame at 40-38. With four minutes to go, UBC was beginning to pull away after a minor defensive collapse by the Bisons. However, consecutive three-balls from the Bisons brought them right back into the game late in the third. Coming home, the score was 58-54 for the Thunderbirds.

UBC started the final quarter quickly, taking five points within the first minute to go ahead 63-54. The Birds controlled the game from there, slowly extending their lead to 15 points in the frame, for the 86-71 win.

UBC’s Chris Dyck had an unreal 36 points, and four assists on the night, while the Bisons’ Darcy Coss had 17 points of his own.

“We had a really hard start this season,” said Suffield after the game. “Now we have to beat the teams we’re capable of and make a bid for the playoffs."

The Herd will hit the road next week with a pair of games in B.C. when they will head to SFU, and Trinity Western the following night, on November 24.

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