MacEwan Athletics and UBC Athletics
VANCOUVER – Another sleepy start doomed the MacEwan Griffins women's basketball team in a 64-39 loss to the UBC Thunderbirds on Friday afternoon.
In a game reminiscent of a Jan. 5 home blowout loss to Saskatchewan where MacEwan spotted the Huskies a 29-point half-time lead, the Griffins found themselves trailing the T-Birds by 26 points just over two minutes into the second quarter.
"I wouldn't even say it was a (lack of) defensive intensity to start," explained Griffins head coach Katherine Adams. "I would say we came out a little bit scared and not ready to compete. We had nine turnovers in the first quarter alone that they turned into 15 points. The ones that we gave them were just easy scores or easy opportunities."
UBC leading scorer Maddison Penn, whom the Griffins knew they needed to contain, scored 16 of her game-high 21 points in the first half, including shooting 3-for-3 from beyond the arc.
"The gym was loud, there was a lot of energy in there," said Adams of the matinee affair that featured a gym packed full of kids for UBC's School Day. "It was exciting in that regard, but it's not an excuse for us not being ready to come out and compete.
"It's the little things that we just weren't getting done in terms of hitting bodies or diving for loose balls or going to secure a rebound or moving for one another off the penetration. The little things that help us be successful ... and kept us in games and even helped us define what our defensive intensity looks like, we didn't do them and UBC capitalized."
Offensively, MacEwan shot just 18.5 per cent from the field in the first half.
"We've been working on our defensive foundation," said UBC head coach Deb Huband. "We've seen a lot of improvement since December. I think we had good intensity to start and made it tough for them in the first quarter ... after that we let up a bit. I'd like to see us extend that intensity over the course of 40 minutes."
MacEwan eventually righted the ship, outscoring the Thunderbirds 17-12 in the fourth quarter, but it was, as has often been the case this season, too little, too late.
"After that (start), you're digging yourself out of a hole and that's a tall task because you're tense and you're feeling like you have to fight and claw," said Adams. "It gives them a reason to let their foot off the gas a little bit … they've given themselves a cushion to be comfortable."
The result deals a serious blow to the Griffins' playoff chances as UBC was occupying the final post-season spot prior to the contest and has now opened up a three-game lead on MacEwan (7-8 record to the Griffins' 4-11 mark).
MacEwan dearly needs a rebound and a result in Saturday's rematch (6 p.m. MT, Canada West TV) to keep their fading hopes alive.
"A lot of the things are within our control," said Adams. "This is part of the challenge of having a young team is how quickly can we adjust and adapt and make changes. You hope we can turn around and make some of those changes, but some of them are just inexperience."
Kayla Ivicak led the Griffins with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Paige Knull had five points and a pair of assists. Mackenzie Farmer and Kerilynn MacLennan both chipped in four points and four boards.
UBC also got 11 points and eight rebounds from Keylyn Filewich, while the other member of their big three – Jessica Hanson – was held to nine points.
