Box Score The UNBC Timberwolves showed flashes of promise and plenty of fight, but the reigning Canada West champions from Victoria  proved too much to handle on Friday night, earning a 92-67 victory over Todd Jordan's club in Victoria.

UNBC came out with plenty of energy, jumping out to an early 4-0 advantage behind some excellent defensive work from Will Keyes. The veteran big man swatted away a pair of Victoria attempts on consecutive possessions as the Timberwolves set an early tone defensively.

Six different Timberwolves found the scoresheet in the opening quarter, with Miller Davies leading the way with four points. However, the Vikes gradually found their footing and carried a narrow 17-14 advantage into the second.

Victoria began to create separation in the second quarter, outscoring UNBC 27-14 to take a 44-28 lead into halftime. After struggling from beyond the arc in the opening frame, the hosts found their range, with Tyler Felt connecting on the Vikes' first three-pointer of the contest.

Justin Sunga provided an early spark for the Timberwolves, scoring UNBC's first five points of the quarter and leading the visitors with seven at the break. Despite playing without star Renaldo Robinson, Victoria showcased its depth, with eight different players getting on the scoresheet in the opening 20 minutes. Felt led the hosts with nine points and six rebounds at halftime.

The third quarter was more evenly contested, but Victoria used a late flurry from beyond the arc to re-establish control, taking a 68-49 advantage into the final frame.

UNBC showed signs of life midway through the quarter, with an aggressive Isaiah Bias layup and a deep three-pointer from Tony Kibonge helping the Timberwolves pull within nine. However, Cam Slaymaker answered with a pair of late triples, while Cole Bekkering added another from downtown to swing the momentum firmly back toward the hosts.

The final 10 minutes saw Victoria outscore UNBC 24-21, but the Timberwolves continued to compete and made the most of their opportunities. Milan Pasquale delivered an impressive eight-point fourth quarter, while rookie Mykyta Kobylinskyi knocked down a pair of jump shots as several members of Jordan's supporting cast took advantage of their minutes.

Ultimately, the reigning champions had too much firepower, with Slaymaker finishing with a game-high 22 points, Ryan Gallagher adding 18 and Bekkering contributing 13 in the 92-67 victory.

The Timberwolves will have a chance to regroup quickly, as the two sides return to the court tomorrow night for a rematch. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Victoria.