CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI - The message leading up to the game against Acadia was to respect the opponent regardless of their record.
The UPEI Panthers (7-4) did just that and took nothing for granted, as they came away with a hard fought 76-71 win over the AxemEn Saturday night.
That effort was reflected in their defence which played a big part in deciding the game. While Acadia (1-13) shot an impressive 51.9 per cent from the field, it was the Panthers' swarming defence and active hands that led to 16 steals and 35 points off turnovers.
Isaiah Ankra had four of those steals and consistently made Acadia uncomfortable on the offensive end. Ankra led all bench scorers with 13 points and was pivotal when UPEI started to pull away in the third quarter.
It was a sluggish start for both teams offensively. UPEI's offensive contribution came exclusively from Glen Cox and Kamari Scott, who combined for 12 points. Acadia didn't fare too much better, as they scored just 15 points, led by Thomas MacDonald's six. The freshman centre finished with 20 points and nine rebounds, while teammates Alex Muise and Eli Kraushar reached double figures with 17 and 11 points, respectively.
Axeman Ryan Munro found his shot early in the second, drilling back-to-back threes to extend the lead to 23-19. The Panthers, meanwhile, were relentless in their attacks to the basket and were awarded with 11 made free throws. Elijah Miller was the only Panther to make more than one field goal in the quarter, where he scored six of his team-high 17 points. He also finished with five assists and five rebounds, as the two teams went into the half tied at 38.
Acadia jumped back in front early in the third quarter thanks to MacDonald, who continued to make his presence felt in the paint, where he converted back-to-back layups. But UPEI countered with a 16-3 run spearheaded by Ankra, who scored eight points, before dishing a pass off to Cox for the easy lay-in to give his Panthers a 60-51 advantage. They'd carry a 60-55 lead into the fourth.
The fourth quarter played out similarly to the first with both teams struggling to find points. Panthers head coach Darrell Glenn continued to ride his bench players, who gave him good production. Of the 16 points scored in the frame, nine came from Ankra and Sam Chisholm, who finished with 11 points and three steals in the win. Muise tried his best to pull Acadia ahead with his eight points in the frame, but the team never recovered from the decisive run in the third, as UPEI held on for the 76-71 win.
The Panthers look to make it a perfect 2-0 weekend when they host the St. FX X-Men Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m., while the Axemen host StFX on Wednesday night - 8:00 p.m.
By Thomas Becker, UPEI Athletics Communications