Winnipeg, MB – The UFV Cascades came close to pulling off the upset on the road against the Winnipeg Wesmen on Saturday, but it was not to be as the hosts took the victory 71-65.

The Cascades trailed 60-59 with 3:01 remaining in the fourth quarter, but an 11-6 run to end the game boosted Winnipeg to their second straight win over UFV.

UFV had a great night rebounding, notching 15 offensive boards and 33 defensive boards compared to eight and 28 from the Wesmen. However, Winnipeg shot 37.9 percent from beyond the arc compared to the Cascades' 25 percent to make the difference.

Top performers
Dario Lopez led all scorers with 22 points and 14 rebounds for the Cascades (7-9), and Courtney Anderson added 15 points. Chris Jackson dropped 11 with eight rebounds before fouling out.

Shawn Maranan had a team-high 14 points to lead the Wesmen on the night. Mikhail Mikhailov had 13 points and six rebounds, and Donald Stewart added 12 points and seven boards.

Quotable
UFV head coach Joe Enevoldson

"I think we played with much more spirit and resolve tonight. We had to do a bit of soul searching after last night, but tonight we came out with some resolve, some toughness, and came into a very good team's barn and it came down to the wire. Tonight, we showed what we could be and if we play that way over the next three or four weeks, we are going to be a very tough team in playoffs."

"Dario [Lopez] is a guy that wants to win and do whatever he can for the team. Tonight, he was asked to be the dude, and he was. He led us in scoring and rebounding, and in passion and energy. He's just growing by leaps and bounds and he just has to keep that growth trajectory."

Where they sit
The Cascades see their record drop to 7-9 this season, while Winnipeg improves to 13-3.

The Cascades are back in action next weekend as they travel to Vancouver for a pair of games against UBC. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on Friday, and 6 p.m. on Saturday.