WINNIPEG – The No. 4 nationally ranked UBC Thunderbirds scored 50 points in the paint and went on three important runs, one each in the second, third and fourth quarters, exercising some demons in an 87-79 win over the No. 7 ranked Manitoba Bisons at IGAC.
 
The nationals hosts will welcome Calgary to town for the Canada West championship next weekend, while Manitoba will travel to play Victoria with a shot at the Final 8 still on the line in the bronze medal game.
 
It was exactly one year ago that the T-Birds were upset at IGAC in the quarterfinals of the Canada West Playoff Tournament (hosted by Manitoba) by UNBC. With a veteran roster that returned all but a few players from that team, motivation was high.
 
One of UBC's key returning play makers was 6'5" forward Fareed Shittu, who went off for 20 points and 14 rebounds against Manitoba.
 
In his playoff career, Shittu has averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds, while UBC – the biggest team in Canada West – used their size to collect 51 boards, compared to 39 for the Bisons.
 
The visitors went on runs of 10-0 in the second quarter, 8-0 in the third, and 14-2 late in the fourth to secure victory.
 
"Honestly, it feels great. That was one of the biggest motivations we had coming in," Shittu said of returning to IGAC.
 
"Last year, we lost and it was heart breaking and painful. I think this year everybody kind of took us lightly. They're hosting nationals, they won't go as far. But we earned our way. We proved them wrong."
 
The Thunderbirds' second quarter run came in part due to Manitoba's leading rebounder, 6'6" Cieran O'Hara (12 points, nine rebounds in the game) having to take a seat with three fouls, two in quick succession.
 
With O'Hara on the bench, the T-Birds overcame a 28-21 deficit, scoring ten points in two and a half minutes, capping their run with a monster dunk from Shittu.
 
"[O'Hara] is the only guy who could physically compete with their size inside," said Bisons head coach Kirby Schepp.
 
"We took him out for 30 seconds in the second half. He has to play 40, [wing] Daren [Watts] has to play 40. They know that. That's where we're at."
 
Despite the size mismatch, a gritty and resilient Manitoba side went shot for shot with the bigger T-Birds.
 
First Team All-Star guard Mason Kraus finished with a game-high 23 points, including six threes, which tied his career high.
 
He also locked down UBC's leading scorer Adam Olsen, holding him to four points in the first half and 12 overall.
 
Two of Kraus' clutch threes came in key moments late for a Manitoba side that had 13 triples overall (Watts with two, Brandt Lenz with three, Tito Obasoto with two).
 
Trailing by as much as 12 in the third, Kraus powered his side back into the game.
 
He began the fourth with a deep triple over top of Olsen to cut UBC's lead to 65-62 at the start of the frame, and shortly after, he banked a three off the window.
 
One possession later, Manitoba forced a travel, and Lenz (15 points) got to the line to give Manitoba their first lead of the second half, 67-66 with seven minutes to play.
 
"I knew we needed energy, so I knew I had to bring it," said Kraus.
 
"They were tough shots, but that's what I do. I hit tough shots. I knew we needed something, and they went in."
 
Olsen responded with a layup, but Lenz made it five in a row with a corner three, forcing a UBC timeout with 6:37 to go, down 70-68.
 
The timeout reaped rewards for the T-Birds in the following five minutes, who went on a 14-2 run that proved to be the difference.
 
Thunderbirds captain Tobi Akinkunmi, one of five UBC players in double figures, splashed a three right after Manitoba had surged ahead, and he had a key rebound on the next possession that led to an Olsen bucket inside.
 
Three Shittu rebounds on the next possession eventually led to a dunk from the Edmonton Elevator, and he added an and one to increase the visitor's lead to 78-70.
 
"We put in that work, on and off the court multiple times a week. Our coaches push us to be aggressive," Shittu added.
 
"We have hard practices too. That goes a long way. We try to practice harder than the game so when we get to the game, we can keep that same aggression."
 
Manitoba cut UBC's lead to as little as five in the final minute, but six combined shot blocks and a physical overall presence inside was too much for the hosts.
 
Akinkunmi and Shittu had four of those six blocks for their side.
 
"We were down to a seven-and-a-half man rotation. They kind of wore us down at the end," said Schepp.
 
"I'm really proud of the way the guys battled. Physically [UBC] is big and athletic and they kind of beat you up. We had to fight for all we've got, but ultimately we were minus 12 on the glass with 21 offensive boards. Our goal was to turn them over more than the difference of the offensive rebounds to win the possession battle. We didn't do that tonight, but I was really proud of the way the guys battled. We have one more chance in Victoria next week."