New Year, Same Goals
The 2023 defending national champs welcome the Douglas Royals to kick off 2024
NANAIMO - Twelve-and-oh and still room to grow.
VIU Mariners women's basketball (12-0) sits on top of the PACWEST conference standings after an undefeated fall 2023 semester and the team knows that other schools will be gunning to deliver their first defeat in 2024. The first challenege comes from the Douglas College Royals (6-8) as the New Westminster squad visits the VIU Gym.
GAME TIMES
Friday, January 12: 6 p.m.
Saturday, January 13: 1 p.m.
Watch live on the VIU Mariners Athletics YouTube page
RECENT HISTORY
In October, the Mariners and Royals faced off in New Westminster with VIU earning 61-43 and 62-31 wins. Makayla Kimble scored 20 points (8 of 14) to lead the Mariners in the first matchup. Balanced scoring won the day in the rematch as seven Mariners scored at least 8 points.
For the Royals, Jettie McLaughlin-Sakaki was the only Royal with double-digit points (10) in the first game and rebounds (11) in the second.
Douglas has already played two regular season games in 2024 and won both: 68-42 and 64-47 over the Langara Falcons.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
VIU: Kimble and Kaia Simpson, the Mariners duo from North Carolina, are both in the top 10 of conference scoring. Kimble sits sixth with 13.58 points-per-game and Simpson is eighth with 12.83.
Douglas: The Royals don't feature any student-athletes in the top 15 in conference scoring, but McLaughlin-Sakaki, Laini Glover, and Mackenzie Dalphond are three of the PACWEST's top rebounders.
For more information, contact Matt Carter, VIU Mariners Communications and Sports Information Coordinator.