Ben Chessor
The Navigator
The VIU Mariners men’s basketball team played their first home games of 2014 on January 24 and 25. The team split their two games over the weekend, keeping pace with the top teams in the PacWest standings.
On Friday, January 24, the Mariners played host to the visiting Douglas College Royals. The game got off to a high scoring start with the Mariners leading 26-25 after the first quarter. In the second quarter, VIU continued their hot start and opened up a 56-48 lead at halftime. In the second half, the Mariners started to pull away from Douglas, opening up a 74-59 lead by the end of the third quarter. Douglas was unable to mount much of a comeback in the game’s final quarter, and the Mariners walked off the court with a 91-73 victory.
The Mariners were back in action at home the next day, taking on the first place Langara Falcons. The Falcons led 20-19 after the first quarter and expanded their lead to ten points at halftime. The Mariners tried to mount a comeback in the second half, but couldn’t cut into the Falcon’s lead. Langara went on to win by the final score of 89-72.
The weekend earlier, the Mariners were on the road for a two-game mainland trip. On January 17, the Mariners took on Quest University. The Mariners trailed at halftime 41-40. In the second half, the Mariners got off to a strong start, holding Quest to only nine points in the third quarter. But Quest refused to be denied as they rallied in the fourth quarter, defeating VIU 88-78.
The next day, the Mariners took on the Capilano University Blues. For the second time of the weekend, the Mariners found themselves on the losing end of a strongly contested game. Despite outscoring Capilano 36-27 in the second half, the Mariners couldn’t dig themselves out of an early deficit, losing by a score of 67-62.
The Mariners’ 12-4 record gives them 24 points on the season. VIU sits in third place in the PacWest standings, two points behind second place Quest University and eight points ahead of fourth place Capilano.
The Mariners’ next games are at home on Friday, February 8, at 8pm against the Capilano Blues and Saturday, February 9, at 3pm against Quest University. For more information on the Mariners’ schedule, visit mariners.viu.ca.