VICTORIA, B.C. - The UBC Okanagan Heat men's basketball team faced a challenging opponent on the road, taking on the U SPORTS No. 2 ranked Victoria Vikes on Friday, resulting in a 101-76 defeat in the province's capital.

In a hard-fought first half, the Heat applied pressure on the Vikes, keeping the game close. The Vikes took an early 5-0 lead with a three-pointer and field-goal by Victoria, B.C. locals Izzy Helman and Diego Maffia. Gavin Ashworth (Grande Prairie, Alta.) quickly responded, with a solo five point tying the game at 5-5. 

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Gavin Ashworth gets us on the board with a 3! ????#GoHeatGo #UBCOvsUVIC pic.twitter.com/NPGv29KViF

— UBCO Heat (@UBCOHeat) January 6, 2024

UBCO held the Vikes at bay until late in the first half.

The Vikes and their top ranked offence broke through in the second half, resulting in the 25-point win.

Gavin Ashworth stood out for the Heat tonight, scoring 21 points while's Elias Ralph (Okotoks, AB.) achieved his career first double-double for Victoria, with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Jas Dhudwal, from Surrey, B.C. secured his first double-double for the Heat with an even 10 points and 10 boards.

TOP PERFORMERS 

Gavin Ashworth – UBCO
The third-year guard netted 21 points, firing 7-of-13 from the floor. The sharpshooter is averaging a career-best 16.3 points per game this season. 

Diego Maffia – UVIC
The conference's leading scorer match Ashworth with a 21-point performance of his own, guiding the Vikes to the victory. He also contributed to his team with four steals, four assists, and three rebounds.

WHERE THEY SIT
UBCO's loss now sees them dropping to 2-7 in Canada West standings while the Vikes climb to 6-1. 

UP NEXT
Tomorrow evening, on January 6th, the Heat will have their chance at redemption against the Vikes. The game tips off at 7p.m and you can catch the live action on CanadaWest.tv.