CALGARY - The rankings went out the window Friday night, as the University of Calgary Dinos survived a valiant effort by the Trinity Western Spartans and improved to 7-2 on the season with a 95-85 double-overtime victory. 
 
The Spartans had just one win going into their matchup with the Dinos - who are currently ranked ninth in the country - and they nearly pulled off the upset. 
 
The visitors got off to a strong start, leading 20-16 at the end of the first quarter, but the second was all Calgary as they outscored the Spartans 27-13 to take a 43-33 lead at halftime. The Dinos started well in the third quarter, as a Phil Barndt three-pointer at 7:01 gave the home team their largest lead of the game at 14 and it appeared the Dinos were going to cruise. But the Spartans had other ideas. 
 
They would outscore Calgary 18-8 over the next seven minutes and trail just 58-55 going into the fourth. The Spartans continued to chip away and eventually tied the game at 64 with 5:44 remaining. Another three by Barndt and two free throws by Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson put the Dinos back up five with 3:50 left, but they couldn't put the Spartans away. Taylor Heinrichs hit a three to bring his team within one and then with 30 seconds left, hit a jumper to tie the game at 74.
 
Then the game almost ended in dramatic fashion. 
 
Matt Letkeman would miss a short jumper with six seconds left and with no timeouts, the Spartans' Tyus Allen took a pass from Jesse Jeffers and dribbled up the floor with the clock running down and launched a halfcourt heave before time expired. The ball went off the backboard and the inside of the rim before rolling off and sending the game into overtime. 
 
In the first extra session, another Heinrichs three gave the Spartans a 78-74 with 2:23 left. After a steal by Jasdeep Gill, Lars Schlueter would hit just his second shot of the game, but it cut the lead to one point at 78-77 with two minutes remaining. Then Gill would sink two free throws for his first points of the game to tie it at 79 with 54 seconds left. Despite a missed layup by Ogungbemi-Jackson and three shots, the Spartans could not take the lead and a missed contested Kelvin Smith jumper in the corner sent the game into the second overtime. 
 
Gill would score Calgary's first four points of the frame and the Spartans would suffer a massive blow as Heinrichs fouled out just 16 seconds in. Trinity Western would tie the game one more time at 83, but Barndt would hit two three throws and a huge three with 1:07 left to give the Dinos an 88-83 lead. After just four points in the fourth quarter and zero in overtime, Ogungbemi-Jackson would knock down a three with the shot clock running out to give the Dinos a 91-85 lead with 20 seconds remaining to seal the game. He would hit two more free throws and a layup for the 95-85 final. 
 
"We know that every game we play in the CIS is going to be a tough battle and we've got to come out and play our best," Barndt said afterwards, crediting the Spartans for their effort. While the Dinos remain tied for first in the Pioneers Division, the Spartans dropped to 1-8. Heinrichs was outstanding in the loss, finishing with 28 points and 10 rebounds, knocking down big shot after big shot. Fifth-year seniors Ogungbemi-Jackson and Barndt both finished with 46 minutes and Ogungbemi-Jackson added another double-double to his career with 24 points and 10 rebounds. But struggling late in the fourth and in overtime, Barndt picked up the load, finishing with 23 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, including the major three to put the Dinos up five late in the second overtime. 
 
"I'm just trying to take the best shots I can," Barndt said, as he hit five of the Dinos 15 threes on the night. Both teams struggled from the free-throw line, with Calgary going 26-38 and Trinity Western 18-27. There were 105 rebounds in the game, with the Spartans getting 55 of them. Calgary had 17 assists to the Spartans eight, as well as 29 bench points to their opponents' 18. Calgary also avenged their 87-80 loss in their opening game to the Spartans last season. 
 
The teams play again 7 p.m. MT at the Jack Simpson Gymnasium on canadawest.tv.