Box Score

VICTORIA, British Columbia – Playing its first game under head coach Adam Hiatt, the Westminster College men's basketball team came away with an 88-85 win over the University of Victoria on Friday evening. 

This is the 10th straight year that Westminster (1-0) has opened the year with a victory and they are now 12-1 all-time in the opening game of a season.  The Griffins also improved to 7-5 all-time in the first road game of the year.

AJ Reilly led four Griffins in double figures with 23 points and helped Hiatt pick up his first career win in the first game as a head coach.  Hiatt became head coach in April after spending two years as the lead assistant at Westminster.  Ben Walker added 16 points while Jake Orchard and Jordan Hayter had 13 and 10 respectively.

Westminster shot 53.5% from the field and went 22-for-28 (.786) at the foul line.  They also connected from beyond the arc six times while recording 16 assists.  The Griffins forced 18 turnovers with seven steals.  Orchard grabbed a team-best five rebounds and Hayter recorded five assists.

Victoria (1-3) stayed in the game by making 11 threes while also shooting 53.5% from the floor.  Zac Andrus and Ryan Mackinnon finished with 15 points apiece to lead the Vikes.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday in McKinnon Gymnasium with the tipoff scheduled for 8 p.m.