VICTORIA – An 18-0 run spanning the third and fourth quarters flipped the script as the University of Calgary Dinos men's basketball team turned in an impressive team performance in knocking off the Victoria Vikes, 88-79, Saturday evening from inside CARSA Performance Gym.

The win is notable for a number of reasons, as it marks the first win by an opponent inside CARSA Performance Gym since Feb. 1, 2020. Calgary also handed the defending Canada West champs just their fifth conference loss in the last two-plus seasons. It also caps an incredible turnaround from a 35-point loss (122-87) just one night earlier by the Dinos.

In all, Calgary finished the game on a 34-13 run over the final 10:14 of the game to earn a hard-fought weekend split and move to 1-1 on the season following the opening weekend against the preseason conference favourites.

Reigning conference player of the year Diego Maffia led the Vikes with a game-high 35 points but was limited to just 2-11 shooting from three-point range on the night as Victoria falls to 1-1 on the year.

Nate Petrone poured in 33 points on 11-16 shooting from the floor – including 4-8 from behind the arc – to lead Calgary in just his second game in a Dinos uniform.

Noah Wharton stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Spencer Roberts added 12 points and eight boards.

Alan Spoonhunter also scored in double figures with 10 points.

Despite a strong start that got the home crowd quickly behind their team by the Vikes, Calgary did its best early to stay close to the high-powered Vikes. After jumping out to a quick 10-point lead at 19-9, Calgary battled back and drew within 28-25 early in the second following a three by Petrone.

Victoria then got hot, claiming what proved to be their largest lead of the game after a Ryan Gallager layup made it 42-28 with just 2:33 left in the second quarter.

But the Dinos continue to battle and made it an eight-point game at 46-38 at the half.

The game stayed along that path until late in the third. Maffia scored a layup to make it 66-54 with just 1:33 left in the third. Jeffrey Tezo then hit a three to start a 9-0 Dinos run to end the quarter and make it a 66-61 game heading into the fourth.

Two points apiece by Roberts and Wharton to start the fourth made it a one-point game before Petrone drilled a deep three to give Calgary its first lead of the game - 68-66 at the 8:41 mark of the fourth quarter. Spoonhunter then stole the ball at midcourt and hammered home an uncontested dunk.

Maffia finally stopped the bleeding with a three pointer with 7:15 left in the fourth to make it 72-69, but the Dinos defence was on lockdown the rest of the way – limiting Victoria to just 4-19 (21.1 percent) shooting from the floor over the final frame.

The Dinos now come back to Calgary to prepare for their home opener next weekend, welcoming Manitoba inside the Jack Simpson Gym for a Friday-Saturday doubleheader. Meanwhile, the Vikes make their first trip to the mainland, traveling to Abbotsford, B.C. to take on Fraser Valley, starting Friday.

-UC-