VANCOUVER, B.C. — The UBCO Heat men's basketball team (1-5) were unable to keep pace with the U SPORTS No. 8-ranked UBC Thunderbirds (4-2) on Saturday, falling 100-70 at War Memorial Gym.

Jalen Shirley led the charge for the HEat with 17 points, two steals, and seven assists. Isaak Moore added 15 points, making seven field goals and collecting two steals. Gudmund Rothing contributed by hitting three 3-pointers for a total of nine points. Mike Adarkwah-Nti was perfect from the free-throw line, converting all four attempts and also securing two steals.

Nikola Guzina led UBC with a standout performance, scoring 23 points on 10 of 17 shooting and securing 13 rebounds. 

In the first quarter, the Thunderbirds capitalized on a strong inside presence, outscoring the Heat 18-6 in the paint. UBC's efficient 11-for-23 shooting performance was bolstered by eight assists, maintaining a steady offensive rhythm. Despite UBCO's three 3-pointers, turnovers proved costly, leading to a 24-17 deficit at the end of one.

UBCO battled closely in the second frame, narrowing the margin with a 19-point output. Despite converting eight of 15 field goals, including three 3-pointers, they struggled with eight turnovers. Meanwhile, UBC capitalized on second-chance points with six offensive rebounds and maintained their edge by scoring 12 points in the paint. At the end of the half, the home team led 44-36.

UBCO was outscored 27-16 by the Thunderbirds in the second half, primarily due to a significant advantage in the paint, where UBC scored 20 points. The home team also capitalized on fast breaks with seven points, while their rebounding efforts resulted in a 14-2 edge on the boards. Despite forcing five turnovers, UBCO struggled with shooting efficiency, converting only 33 percent of their attempts from the field. At the end of the third, the score stood at 71-52 in favor of UBC.

In the final quarter, the hosts outscored UBCO 29-18, driven by a strong shooting performance that included six 3-pointers on nine attempts. The home team capitalized on turnovers, converting six takeaways into nine points, while also controlling the boards with a 14-8 rebound advantage.

In their next game, the Heat will host the UNBC Timberwolves on Friday, Nov. 14, at 5:30 p.m. The matchup will take place at UBCO Gymnasium and tickets for the game can be purchased by visiting GoHeat.ca/Tickets.

Game Notes:
- Rookie Anthony Brady matched his season-best offensive output for UBCO with 11 points.
- Moore scored a season-best 15 points in the loss.
- In his first-ever start for UBCO, rookie Gudmund Rothing matched his season-best with nine points.