Bumping the Bearcats

NANAIMO, B.C. - VIU women's basketball has clinched a top-two spot in the PACWEST conference following two home victories over the CBC Bearcats.

The Mariners (16-4) sit ten points up on the Bearcats (11-9) and each team has four games remaining in the regular season. The first and second seeded teams in the PACWEST earn a quarterfinal bye at the conference championships, February 29-March 2 in Kelowna, B.C.

Friday, February 2: VIU 56, CBC 47
Box Score

The Mariners sole graduating student-athlete, fifth-year guard Chloe Scaber, put on a show to kick off the final home weekend of her varsity career.

(L-R) VIU women's basketball head coach Tony Bryce, Chloe Scaber, and her parents celebrate Chloe's varsity career at Camosun (2 years) and VIU (3 years). Photo: Mary Kessenich

Scaber scored a game-high 18 points, including 11 in the third quarter on 5 of 9 shooting, as the Mariners delighted the boisterous home fans on the way to a tough victory. The Bearcats led 16-13 after the first quarter, but the Mariners grabbed the lead in the second and held the visitors to 8 points in the quarter. Scaber's explosion in the third helped to seal the deal for the home squad. After the weekend, she was named PACWEST women's basketball athlete of the week.

VIU forward Kaia Simpson matched CBC's Elissa Vreugdenhil, the PACWEST's leading rebounder, rebound-for-rebound as both players pulled down 14 boards. 

Saturday, February 3: VIU 83, CBC 64
Box Score

The Mariners gave their home fans a win to savour for the final home game of the 2023-24 regular season.

After VIU could only manage two 2-point wins over the Bearcats in November, the Mariners offense clicked at a much better rate on this weekend. While the Bearcats led again after the first quarter, a 26-17 VIU advantage in the second quarter got the Mariners going towards the season sweep.

Head coach Tony Bryce calls a play during a timeout. Photo: Mary Kessenich

Guard Mackenzie Cox scored 10 points in that second quarter, shooting 3-4 from the field and hitting both of her three-point attempts. 

After a strong showing on the boards on Friday, Kaia Simpson was VIU's top point-getter on Saturday. She scored 18 points (7 of 16 from the field) while pulling down 7 rebounds. For the Beacats, Vreugdenhil led the team with a double-double: 25 points and 15 rebounds.

UP NEXT

The Mariners have a bye weekend on February 9-10. The team returns to action on Friday, February 16th (6 p.m.) and Saturday, February 17th (1 p.m.) at P.I.S.E. in Victoria for Island Rivaly matchups against the Camosun Chargers. The Chargers are 8-10 on the season and sit in fifth place in the PACWEST conference. They host the Langara Falcons on February 9 & 10 and can clinch a playoff spot with two victories over the Falcons.

PATH TO THE PACWEST PLAYOFFS

The Mariners (16-4, 32 points) have clinched one of the top two spots in the PACWEST and have a bye to the conference semifinals on Friday, March 1st. VIU finishes the season with road games at Camosun (8-10, 16 points) and Langara (3-15, 6 points). 

If VIU finishes first, they will play the winner of the 4th vs 5th quarterfinal. The only team that can overtake VIU for first is the second-place Capilano Blues (13-5, 26 poins). While the Blues are six points back, they do have two games in hand on the Mariners. A second-place finish sets up a semifinal against the winner of the #3 vs. #6 seeds.

The 2024 PACWEST Provincial Basketball Championships are hosted by Okanagan College, February 29-March 2. Games will be held at the Kelowna Christian High School.

For more information, please contact Matt Carter, VIU Communicatons & Sports Information Coordinator.