BRANDON –The UBC Thunderbirds picked up an important 72-60 road win Saturday night to split the weekend series with the Brandon Bobcats, and keep the T-Birds' playoff hopes alive.
 
In a game that felt like a playoff game from the opening tip, both the Bobcats and T-Birds played like their post-season lives depended on it. The Bobcats had one game in hand thanks to Friday's win, but with the win Saturday, the two teams sport matching 7-11 records entering the final weekend of the season. That brings the two teams into a three-way tie with Victoria, whom the Bobcats play next weekend in their final two games of the season.
 
The Bobcats carried a 38-32 lead into the half and looked to have found some rhythm in the first two quarters. 

The third quarter has plagued the Bobcats at times this season, which was the case again Saturday as UBC outscored Brandon 23-6 in the third, and 17-16 in the fourth to hang on for the eight point victory.
 
UBC was paced by team scoring leader Kara Spotton's game-high 18 points. Adrienne Parkin finished two rebounds shy of a double-double (13 points, eight boards).
 
Three Bobcats finished in double-digit scoring, led by Keisha Cox who finished with 17 points and seven boards, while Amy Williams had 13 points and Alyssa Montgomery had 10 points.
 
Bobcats Coach Novell Thomas noted that the two teams were evenly matched for most of the game, aside from the lopsided third quarter..
 
"Both teams demonstrated that sense of urgency, and an unfortunate third quarter for us, and that was the difference," says Thomas.
 
The Bobcats will travel to Victoria next weekend, while the Thunderbirds will host the Winnipeg Wesmen who currently sit one game up at 8-10.