An opening loss at the 45th annual Coca Cola Wesmen Classic at the University of Winnipeg sent the University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves men's basketball team to the consolation side of the eight-team tournament.
The T-wolves fell 78-52 to the Brandon University Bobcats at the Duckworth Centre after the team from the Wheat City doubled up the T-wolves 16-8 in the second quarter to lead 31-20 at the half.
In the second half, the Bobcats kept the T-wolves off balance as they tried to play catch up, while shooting 19-of-31 (61 per cent) from the field. Kyle Vince, a fifth-year Bobcats forward, scored a game high 25 points, while putting up six three pointers and leading his team in steals with three.
Francis Rowe led UNBC with 21 points, while Jose Araujo had 10.
The T-wolves will face Minot State in the consolation semifinal today at noon for a berth in the consolation final Friday. Minot State fell 64-61 to the University of British Columbia Okanagan, despite Yonas Behre's game-high 19 points. Brandon and UBC Okanagan face off in the semifinal today at 8:30 p.m.
Meanwhile the UNBC women's basketball team is prepping for a pair of exhibition games at the Northern Sport Centre on Jan. 3 and 4 against a Japanese girls' team.
