BOX SCORE CALGARY – An impressive scoring run midway through the fourth quarter proved to be the difference as the UBC Thunderbirds kept pace in the playoff race with a 74-66 win over the University of Calgary Dinos Saturday night in the Jack Simpson Gym.

The win improves UBC's record to an even 9-9 on the year, ensuring them at least a share of the final playoff spot heading into the final four games of the regular season. Calgary, meanwhile, falls to 5-13 and is out of the playoff picture after losing both games this weekend.

It had all the makings of a good night for the home side. The Dinos held a 13-point lead midway through the second quarter, the Thunderbirds' best player, Tommy Nixon, was in foul trouble early and played just 24 minutes, and they were shooting nearly 45 per cent at half time. But their shooting went cold in the second half, and UBC went on a 17-2 run in the middle of the fourth quarter to turn a seven-point Calgary lead into an eight-point Thunderbird advantage – one the Dinos couldn't recover from.

As Calgary's shooters went cold in the second half, missing all 15 of their three-point attempts after the break, UBC turned things around. The T-Birds managed just 26.7 per cent in the first half and shot nearly 44 per cent in the second. And their long-range shooting was exceptional, hitting on four of seven three-balls in the second half. The Thunderbirds did a good job drawing fouls as well, heading to the line 40 times on the night against just 18 for the Dinos.

Despite playing just 24 minutes, Nixon was effective and scored a game-high 20 points of five-of-eight shooting from the field and 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. He was joined by Kedar Wright's 17 points in double digits for UBC, with Wright hauling down a team-high nine rebounds on the night. Former Dino Andrew McGuinness and Calgary native Jordan Jensen-Whyte added nine points each for UBC.

Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson once again led the Dinos with 18 points on the night, but he connected on just seven of his 23 field goal attempts and was 0-for-8 from beyond the arc. Matt Letkeman was the Dinos' most effective player offensively with 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting, but he was also in foul trouble and played just 19 minutes. Philip Barndt scored 11 and added 13 rebounds for Calgary, while Josh Turner added eight points and Clay Mulumba pitched in with six.

UBC returns home next weekend to face provincial cousin UBC Okanagan in a two-game series at War Memorial Gym before closing the season with an important home-and-home series against Victoria. The Dinos, meanwhile, head on the road to face the Regina Cougars next weekend before ending their season against Lethbridge in a rare Wednesday-Thursday home-and-home series. Action that week will get underway Wednesday, Feb. 12 in Lethbridge, with the season finale set for the Jack Simpson Gym on Thursday, Feb. 13.

-UC-