Simon Fraser defeats Vikes to open season

Victoria, B.C. – The Simon Fraser University Clan men’s basketball team quelled a fourth quarter rally by the University of Victoria Vikes on Friday night, defeating UVic 78-75 to open their 2009-10 regular season with a win. The Clan are on a bye-week next weekend from their Canada West schedule, however SFU will face Seattle Pacific in Seattle next weekend in exhibition action.

“It’s always good to get a win to start the season,” said SFU head coach Scott Clark following the game. “Obviously we have areas to improve, but getting a win on the road at this stage of the season is important.”

With the Vikes trailing by ten in the fourth quarter, Cyril Indome led a furious comeback that brought the game within one in the final minutes. Simon Fraser, however, managed to convert their free-throws with the game on the line, as Matt Kuzminski (Nanaimo, B.C.) and Sean Burke (North Vancouver, B.C.) made clutch free throws down the stretch to clinch the win. Overall the Clan made 11-of-12 from the line.

Jeff Cullen gave the Vikes a boost off the bench, with the senior guard scoring 15 points on 6-9 shooting. Zac Andrus contributed 10 points and four assists. No UVic player had more than five 'boards and the Vikes were out-rebounded 41-26. Indome scored ten points during the final stretch and finished with a game high of 23. The senior from Winnipeg shot 6-for-9 from the field and 4-for-6 from behind the arc. Overall the Vikes shot 47 percent, but struggled at the line making just 15-26.

Indome scored ten points during the final stretch and finished with a game high of 23. The senior from Winnipeg shot 6-for-9 from the field and 4-for-6 from behind the arc. Overall the Vikes shot 47 percent, but struggled at the line making just 15-26.

A pair of Vancouver Islanders haunted the Vikes with Naniamo native Matt Kuzminski scoring 17, and it was Oak Bay graduate Kevin Pribilisky staking the Clan to a ten-point lead early in the fourth with back-to-back three-pointers. Simon Fraser's scoring high belonged to Kevin Shaw, who went for 18 points on 6-13 shooting.

Source:

Scott McLean, BBA, MSA
Media, Broadcast and Sports Information Director
Simon Fraser University Clan Athletics