Ben Chessor
The Navigator
The VIU Mariners men’s basketball team made their first weekend of the second semester a successful one. The Mariners picked up victories in both games they played on the weekend, allowing VIU to keep pace at the top of the PacWest standings.
The Mariners’ first game back from holidays was on Friday, January 10, when the team traveled to Abbotsford to take on the Columbia Bible College Eagles. After getting off to a slow start and trailing 42-33 at halftime, the Mariners caught fire in the second half, erupting for 61 points and storming back to win 94-74. The victory put VIU back in the win column after the team suffered their only loss of the season to Langara in their last game before the Christmas break.
The Mariners were right back on the court again the next night in Richmond for a game against the Kwantlen Eagles. This time, the Mariners got off to a hot start, taking the lead early in the game and cruising to a dominating 96-45 win.
With their two victories over the weekend, the Mariners improved their record to 9-1 on the season. That puts VIU in a tie for first place with the Langara Falcons, who also have a record of 9-1. Quest University sits two points behind in third with a record of 8-2.
The Mariners return home this weekend, January 24 and 25. On Friday, the Mariners take on Douglas University at 8pm. The next day, the Mariners face Langara in what could potentially be a battle for first place in the PacWest standings. For more information on the Mariners and their schedule, visit mariners.viu.ca.