KELOWNA, B.C. – Led by fourth-year guard
Lauren Foullong, the UBC Okanagan Heat women's basketball team moved to 2-0 for the first time since joining Canada West thanks to an 84-64 victory over the UNBC Timberwolves in their home opener on Friday night at the UBCO Gymnasium.
Foullong, a native of Orangeville, Ont., was on fire in the opening half as she dropped 16 points to help the Heat build seven-point lead at the break. She would go on to finish the game with 23 points, shooting 9-for-17 from the floor, including 5-for-11 from three-point range, while adding four rebounds and three assists.
Veterans
Lily Pink of Kelowna, B.C., and
Kelsey Falk of Vernon, B.C., would help the Heat take over the game in the third quarter as UBCO outscored the Timberwolves 25-6 in the frame, including holding UNBC without a point for nearly eight minutes.
Falk would pour in seven points and pull down six rebounds in the quarter alone, while Pink had six points as the Heat built a 26-point cushion.
UNBC would put together their best offensive performance in the final frame, but would never get closer than 19 points as the Heat won comfortably for the second night in a row.
Both Pink and Falk would go on to finish the game with double-doubles with Pink pouring in 15 points and 10 rebounds, along with five steals and four assists, while Falk added 11 points and 12 rebounds.
"This weekend we showed that we can get contributions from many players," commented Heat head coach
Bobby Mitchell after the win. "We talked coming into these games against Thompson Rivers and UNBC about using our depth and this weekend we showed that both nights."
With the win, UBCO is the first team in Canada West to reach two wins while the Timberwolves, who were playing their first game of the season, drop to 0-1.
The Heat will return to action next Friday, November 8 when they head to Abbotsford to take on the UFV Cascades. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. and the game can be seen live on CanadaWest.tv, presented by Biosteel.
