KELOWNA, B.C. — The UBCO Heat women's basketball team (1-0) clinched a 52-48 victory over the Thompson Rivers WolfPack in a tightly contested matchup on Friday at UBCO Gymnasium. 

The Heat's defence forced 20 turnovers as the team turned up their defensive intensity in the second half, holding the WolfPack to just 16 points over the final 20 minutes to come away with the victory.

Tsuki Tsuzuki led the scoring effort with 13 points, adding two steals and two assists. Sydney Lewis contributed a near double-double in her first Canada West regular season game with 10 points and nine rebounds, showcasing her ability on the boards. Kanani Coon tallied 12 points and grabbed four rebounds, while Tennyson McCarthy posted four points, seven rebounds, and two blocks to bolster the defence.

Morgan Eichenberger led Thompson Rivers with 16 points and was strong defensively with five blocks, contributing eight rebounds. Hailey Merrigan secured nine rebounds while adding seven points, two steals, and two blocks.

The Heat opened the first quarter with a strong start, taking an early 5-0 lead, highlighted by Aiko Williams' three-pointer UBCO capitalized on turnovers, with Aiko Williams and Tsuzuki each recording a steal. However, Thompson Rivers responded with a series of successful layups, overtaking the Heat late in the quarter to establish a 16-11 lead by the buzzer.

UBCO showed resilience in the second quarter, narrowing Thompson Rivers' lead with key plays. A pivotal moment occurred when Lily Pink and Williams hit back-to-back three-pointers, reducing the deficit at the 8:09 mark. However, Thompson Rivers responded with a scoring run, extending their lead to 11 points at the 1:17 mark. Despite this, UBCO closed the quarter with a layup from Coon and a jumper by Tsuzuki, finishing the quarter with a score of 32-25 in favor of Thompson Rivers.

The Heat surged in the third quarter, overturning an eight-point deficit to seize control. Key contributions came from Tsuzuki, who tied the game at 33 with a three-pointer at the 7:37 mark, assisted by Williams. Coon's three-pointer and a pair of free throws further fueled UBCO's momentum. McCarthy capped the quarter with a layup with just eight seconds remaining, extending the Heat's lead.

Thompson Rivers struggled offensively, managing just six points in the quarter as UBCO closed the third quarter ahead 42-38.

The final quarter was highlighted by a critical basket from Tsuzuki at 2:26, extending UBCO's lead to six points. Later, Lewis contributed a decisive layup with just 22 seconds remaining, solidifying the win. Despite Thompson Rivers matching UBCO's ten points in the quarter, the home team maintained their advantage throughout the quarter.

In their next game, the Heat will travel to Prince George, B.C., to face the UNBC Timberwolves. The matchup is set for Sunday, Oct. 26, at 2 p.m. and can be seen live on CanadaWest.tv presented by BioSteel.