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Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference "To be Canada's premiere collegiate athletic conference by developing and inspiring leadership through excellence in academics, sport and citizenship"
Posted: Mar 03, 2023

STMU beats the Kodiaks to take them to the Championships Finals

STMU beats the Kodiaks to take them to the Championships Finals
Box Score
Game Leaders
STMU
Pts: Averie Armbrister - 27
Reb: Johnpaul Okodua - 10
Ast: Johnpaul Okodua - 5
LPK
Pts: Filip Karanovic - 17
Reb: Taylor Barfuss - 7
Ast: Paycen Blackmore - 3
Team Stats
Full stats

            The St Mary's University Lightning and Lethbridge College Kodiaks faced off against each other in the second round of the men's basketball playoffs, marking the second day of the tournament.

            The Lightning took an early advantage in part due to a nine-point first-quarter showing from Caleb Jipp. The Kodiaks on the other hand shot just 1-7 from deep in the quarter which partially led to the Lightning winning the frame 23-18.

            Lethbridge tried to keep it close, repeatedly getting within a bucket over the course of the second, culminating at the midway mark of the quarter. But the Kodiaks continued to be ice cold from the floor shooting just 31% from the floor as a team in the second and free throws could only keep them in it for so long. A late push from the Lightning gave them a 47-39 lead going into halftime.

            St Mary's continued to roll after the break quickly developing a double-digit lead over the Kodiaks. The Kodiaks continued to struggle to put together any offensive flow while their opponents' confidence was only growing. Before the end of the third, the Lightning reached their biggest lead of the game with a 20-point advantage before entering the fourth ahead 70-53.

            Staring down a 20-point hole, the Kodiaks were finally able to turn it on, putting together a 12-2 run over 2:30 to get within ten points with ample time to play. But cutting the deficit to nine midway through the fourth was as close as they would bring it, with St Mary's picking it up offensively to close out the victory 93-79.

            With the win the Lightning advance to face either the reigning champion SAIT Trojans or the undefeated Keyano College Huskies in the tournament final.