BRANDON, Man. – The Brandon Bobcats pushed Trinity Western to the limit down the stretch but it wasn't enough as the Spartans hung on for a 66-58 victory Friday night.
 
Chelsea Misskey nearly willed the Bobcats back after trailing by 20 late in the game, but a clutch lay-up by Nicole Fransson in the last minute proved to be the difference as Trinity hung on for the team's fourth win of the conference season.
 
"We came out and wanted the win. We've had a pretty tough season, and they wanted it too but it just came down to who wanted it more," said the Spartans' Jolene Vleig.
 
Vleig finished with a game-high 26 points, 19 coming in the first half, to go with 12 rebounds.
 
Both teams shot the ball well in the opening quarter as the two sides combined to hit nine in the quarter before Brandon's Adrianna Proulx hit a buzzer-beater to send the game to the second tied 23-23.
 
Brandon went cold from downtown in the second, going 0-for-3 while Trinity went 2-for-6 to take a lead at the break.
 
The Bobcats' offence went cold again in the middle of the game going nearly 10 minutes without a basket before Trinity extended the lead to 20 mid-way through the third. 
 
In the fourth Brandon turned on the full court press and went on a 17-0 run highlighted by three turnovers by Misskey, but it wasn't enough in the end.
 
"It was just that mindset of not giving up. It's never over until the clock goes down to zero," said Misskey of her team's resiliency in the dying minutes. "It was a great run. I wish it could have ended up a little bit better, but it was a really good run."
 
Vleig's double-double performance was one of two for the Spartans as Lana Shypit also had a double-double, with 12 points and 10 rebounds while Fransson finished with 19 points and nine boards.
 
Misskey and Adrianna Proulx both put up 14 points for the Bobcats.
 
The two teams meet again at the Brandon University Healthy Living Centre in what will be the final home game of the season for the Bobcats. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m.