November 24 - The Trinity Western University women's basketball team matched a program best seven wins with a solid 62-58 win over the visiting University of Manitoba Bisons Saturday night at TWU's Langley, B.C. campus. The win, which give TWU four straight, improves the Spartans to 7-3, while the loss drops the Bisons to 3-5. The last time TWU had seven wins was in 2001-2002 when they finished the season 7-13.

"It is great to get to seven wins. But we know that our schedule has a very tough finish and we have been focused on this stretch of games because they are very important," said TWU head coach Kerby Court. "Our team has done what it has taken to win games and get us a little bit of momentum. It is a process of our growth. It is not pretty, but we have been winning and that is what our team needs to experience so that they can learn what it feels like. We know that it is a long season and that we have a tough finish and we need to win our games now."

The Spartans had a slight edge, 13-12, after the first quarter and looked to be headed into the half with a solid lead, 26-18 lead with three minutes remaining. But the Bisons increased their intensity over the final minutes and were able to use a 9-0 run to take a one point lead, 27-26 into the half-time break.

The third quarter was even until the five minute mark at 34-34. Then hoops by Corina Reimer (Abbotsford, B.C.) and Liesa Ohman (Langley, B.C.), gave TWU a five point lead with under four minutes remaining in the quarter. The Spartans kept the momentum through to the end of the third and were able to take a seven point lead, 47-40 into the final quarter.

The Bisons came out flying to start the fourth quarter. They used an 11-2 run to take a 51-49 lead with six and a half minutes remaining. The two teams matched each other for the next three minutes and with just over a minute remaining the they were locked at 58-58.

Down the stretch TWU's Corina Reimer got the Spartans the final lead with an inside move to make it 60-58. Manitoba missed their attempt to tie with just over thirty seconds left. Reimer had a chance to put the Spartans up four with 20 seconds remaining, but she missed the inside shot.

Manitoba's Leigh-Anne Legal-Young (Winnipeg) missed with ten seconds remaining and the Bisons were forced to foul. On the ensuing inbound play from half court TWU's Laura Craig found a wide open Reimer for the lay-up and the four point Spartan win.

Laura Craig (Delta, B.C.) with 12 points, six rebounds and Corina Reimer with nine points, 10 rebounds led a balanced TWU scoring attack. "Laura is one of the people that we are looking to lean on and tonight she did a really good job. She hit a big bucket last week and now she believes in herself and is able to put the team on her shoulders and carry them for periods during the game," said Court.

Jenna Ralston (Mission, B.C.) with 17 points and Legal-Young with 12 points led Manitoba.

Next up for the Spartans is the 20 minute drive to Abbotsford, B.C. to face the University College of the Fraser Valley Cascades. Game times on Fri. Nov. 30 and Sat. Dec. 1 are set for 6 p.m.

Game Notes: the last time TWU won four straight was Jan. 4-Jan. 12, 02 with two wins each against Saskatchewan and Brandon...the Spartans shot 39% (24-61) from the field, 47% (8-17) from the three point line and 75% (6-8) from the foul line, while Manitoba shot 32% (22-69), 26% (5-19) and 56% (9-16) respectively...TWU's next home games are Jan.4-5 when they will host Victoria...