Box Score
Lethbridge – Coming off a convincing win Friday night, the Lethbridge Pronghorns were pushed to the limit Saturday as expected and grinded out an 81-74 win to complete the weekend sweep of the Victoria Vikes.
 
The win moves the 'Horns to 5-1 on the season and now lead the Pioneer Division in winning percentage at 0.833%. The loss drops the Vikes to 5-3 on the season.
 
Dejon Burdeaux had his best game as a Pronghorn, leading all scorers with 26 points, while adding seven rebounds, six steals and five assists. Brandon Brine chipped in with 19 points and Zac Overwater added 15 points in the win.
 
Jordan Charles led the way for the Vikes with 17 points, while Grant Sitton and Brandon Dunlop each had 15 points on the night.
 
"Victoria did a great job of slowing us down tonight but Burdeaux wouldn't let them," said head coach Mike Hansen. "He really carried us in the first half."
 
"It became a grind in the second half but we got stops when we needed them and then Overwater came in down the stretch and hit two huge shots for us."
 
After the Pronghorns ran away with a 27 point victory last night, the opening half of the rematch was a back and forth affair with Victoria and Lethbridge matching basket for basket. Both teams opened the game with a hot hand and a Brandon Dunlop three as the buzzer sounded left the 'Horns up 26-24 at the first break.
 
The 'Horns were a sizzling 66.7% from the floor in the opening quarter, while the Vikes were not too shabby themselves, going 9 for 15, including 3 for 6 from behind the arc. While the Vikes out rebounded the 'Horns 8-3, the 'Horns did not turn over the ball once in the quarter.
 
Out of the break, the 'Horns continued the hot hand with five straight points from Burdeaux and a Rob Olsen three pointer put the home side up 32-24. But the Vikes would not go away and at the half the 'Horns held a slim 43-39 lead.
 
After taking care of the ball so well in the opening quarter, turnovers plagued the 'Horns in the second quarter, turning the ball over eight times and allowing the Vikes extra possessions to keep the game close.
 
When the 'Horns were able to get shots off in their possessions, they remained hot and finished the half shooting at a 63.3% clip. Burdeaux was exceptional for the 'Horns, only missing two shots and putting up 18 points in the half. The Vikes did cool in the second, finishing 14 for 31, but hit seven threes and turned Pronghorn turnovers into seven points.
 
The toe-to-toe battled continued into the third quarter with the 'Horns lead never bulging over seven points and pair of runs by the Vikes swung the game in their favor. A Mack Roth three brought the game level with a little less than five minutes to play in the third, for the first time since the early part of the opening quarter. A second run of 7-0 put the Vikes up 57-52 but the 'Horns would answer, with 7-0 run of their own, punctuated by a Burdeaux three point play to regain the lead, one that they would not give up a second time.
 
With five minutes remaining and the game still hanging in the balance, the 'Horns turned a 70-68 lead into a nine point cushion, ripping off another 7-0 run, and were able to hold the Vikes off rest of the way.
 
Both teams now head into the semester break and the 'Horns will open 2016 with two consecutive road weekends before returning home to host the Manitoba Bisons, January 22^nd and 23^rd. The Vikes will open the New Year hosting the Bisons January 8^th and 9^th.