RAVENS GRAB THIRD SEED FOR HALIFAX
UVic edged two familiar faces for the No. 1 spot with Pacific Division arch-rivals, the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds and three-time defending national champions, the Carleton University Ravens seeded second and third going into the tournament, respectively.
Championship web site: http://www.cisport.ca/e/championships/m_basketball/2006
Rounding out the list of teams moving directly to Friday's quarter-finals are the three other conference champions, the No. 4 StFX X-Men (AUS), No. 5 McMaster Marauders (OUA), and No. 6 UQAM Citadins (QSSF), making their first appearance at nationals in only their third year of CIS competition.
The four sides selected to go through an extra round on Thursday are the No. 7 Cape Breton Capers (AUS finalists), No. 8 York Lions (OUA finalists), No. 9 Saskatchewan Huskies (Canada West bronze medalists), and No. 10 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (OUA semi-finalists).
Only three teams return from last year's Final 10: Carleton (champion), StFX (semi-finalist), and Victoria (fifth).
In addition to first-timer UQAM, three schools are about to end significant participation droughts. Laurier will take part in the big dance for the first time since the 1977-78 season, while Saskatchewan and Cape Breton haven't played on the national scene since 1988 and 1995, respectively.
UQAM, Saskatchewan and Cape Breton are three of five teams vying for their first ever CIS title, along with McMaster and York.
Top-ranked UVic is the most decorated program in CIS men's basketball history having claimed eight W.P. McGee Trophies, including a record streak of seven consecutive banners from 1980-86.
The Vikes and the No. 2 Thunderdbirds have had epic battles in 2005-06, meeting no less than seven times in regular-season a post-season play. While UBC holds a 5-2 overall advantage, including a 2-1 edge in the best-of-three Canada West Pacific Division final, UVic came out on top in the biggest duel of the year to date, taking last week's conference final by a score of 84-74.
Victoria captured its eighth and last CIS title in 1997, while UBC was last crowned at home in 1972. In the quarter-finals on Friday, the Vikes will face the winner of Thursday's battle between No. 9 Saskatchewan and No. 8 York, while UBC will face either No. 10 Laurier or No. 7 Cape Breton.
No. 3 Carleton enters the nationals tied with Brandon (1987-89) for second most consecutive W.P. McGee Trophies. The Ravens begin their title defense against the surprising QSSF champion UQAM Citadins.
Four games from the Milk Energy Final 10 will be televised live nationally on The Score: the late quarter-final on Friday, the two semi-finals on Saturday, and the championship final on Sunday (4 p.m. AT).
NOTE: a complete championship preview will follow on Tuesday.
SEEDING & SCHEDULE (All times LOCAL / Atlantic Time)
1. Victoria Vikes
2. UBC Thunderbirds
3. Carleton Ravens
4. StFX X-Men
5. McMaster Marauders
6. UQAM Citadins
7. Cape Breton Capers
8. York Lions
9. Saskatchewan Huskies
10. Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
Thursday, March 16
18:00 Game #1: Wilfrid Laurier (10) vs. Cape Breton (7)
20:00 Game #2: Saskatchewan (9) vs. York (8)
Friday, March 17
11:00 Consolation (9th place): Loser Game #1 vs. Loser Game #2
13:00 Quarter-final #1: UQAM (6) vs. Carleton (3)
15:00 Quarter-final #2: Winner Game #1 vs. UBC (2)
18:00 Quarter-final #3: McMaster (5) vs. StFX (4)
20:00 Quarter-final #4: Winner Game #2 vs. Victoria (1) (Live on The Score)
Saturday, March 18
11:30 Consolation #1
13:30 Consolation #2
18:30 Semi-final #1 (Live on The Score)
21:00 Semi-final #2 (Live on The Score)
Sunday, March 19
13:00 Consolation final (5th place)
16:00 Championship final (Live on The Score)
PARTICIPATING TEAMS
1. Victoria Vikes (Canada West champions / 15-5 regular season, 5-3 playoffs)
Last appearance (result): 2005 (5th)
Previous appearances: 22
Last title: 1997
Number of titles: 8
2. UBC Thunderbirds (CW finalists / 20-0 season, 5-2 playoffs)
Last appearance (result): 2004 (0-2)
Previous appearances: 13
Last title: 1972
Number of titles: 2
3. Carleton Ravens (OUA semi-finalists / 20-2 season, 1-1 playoffs)
Last appearance (result): 2005 (CIS champion)
Previous appearances: 9
Last title: 2005 (3 straight)
Number of titles: 3
4. StFX X-Men (AUS champions / 16-4 season, 2-0 playoffs)
Last appearance (result): 2005 (semi-finals)
Previous appearances: 12
Last title: 2001 (back-to-back)
Number of titles: 3
5. McMaster Marauders (OUA champions / 17-5 season, 3-0 playoffs)
Last appearance (result): 2004 (5th)
Previous appearances: 13
Last title: -
Number of titles: 0
6. UQAM Citadins (QSSF champions / 6-10 season, 2-0 playoffs)
Last appearance (result): -
Previous appearances: 0
Last title: -
Number of titles: 0
7. Cape Breton Capers (AUS finalists / 16-4 season, 1-1 playoffs)
Last appearance (result): 1995 (semi-final)
Previous appearances: 2
Last title: -
Number of titles: 0
8. York Lions (OUA finalists / 14-8 season, 3-1 playoffs)
Last appearance (result): 2004 (semi-final)
Previous appearances: 7
Last title: -
Number of titles: 0
9. Saskatchewan Huskies (CW bronze medalists / 13-7 season, 3-1 playoffs)
Last appearance (result): 1988 (5th)
Previous appearances: 3
Last title: -
Number of titles: 0
10. Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (OUA semi-finalists / 10-12 season, 2-1 playoffs)
Last appearance (result): 1978 (0-2)
Previous appearances: 5
Last title: 1968 (as Waterloo-Lutheran)
Number of titles: 1
W.P. McGEE TROPHY CHAMPIONS
2004-05 Carleton (Halifax Metro Centre)
2003-04 Carleton (Halifax Metro Centre)
2002-03 Carleton (Halifax Metro Centre)
2001-02 Alberta (Halifax Metro Centre)
2000-01 StFX (Halifax Metro Centre)
1999-00 StFX (Halifax Metro Centre)
1998-99 Saint Mary's (Halifax Metro Centre)
1997-98 Bishop's (Halifax Metro Centre)
1996-97 Victoria (Halifax Metro Centre)
1995-96 Brandon (Halifax Metro Centre)
1994-95 Alberta (Halifax Metro Centre)
1993-94 Alberta (Halifax Metro Centre)
1992-93 StFX (Halifax Metro Centre)
1991-92 Brock (Halifax Metro Centre)
1990-91 Western (Halifax Metro Centre)
1989-90 Concordia (Halifax Metro Centre)
1988-89 Brandon (Halifax Metro Centre)
1987-88 Brandon (Halifax Metro Centre)
1986-87 Brandon (Dalhousie)
1985-86 Victoria (Dalhousie)
1984-85 Victoria (Dalhousie)
1983-84 Victoria (Dalhousie)
1982-83 Victoria (Waterloo)
1981-82 Victoria (Victoria)
1980-81 Victoria (Waterloo)
1979-80 Victoria (Calgary)
1978-79 Saint Mary's (Calgary)
1977-78 Saint Mary's (Saint Mary's)
1976-77 Acadia (Saint Mary's)
1975-76 Manitoba (Saint Mary's)
1974-75 Waterloo (Waterloo)
1973-74 Guelph (Waterloo)
1972-73 Saint Mary's (Waterloo)
1971-72 UBC (UBC)
1970-71 Acadia (Acadia)
1969-70 UBC (McMaster)
1968-69 Windsor (Waterloo)
1967-68 Waterloo/Lutheran* (StFX)
1966-67 Windsor (Calgary)
1965-66 Windsor (Calgary)
1964-65 Acadia (Saint Mary's)
1963-64 Windsor (Windsor)
1962-63 Assumption (Windsor)
*Now called: Wilfrid Laurier
- CIS -
(Photo: Osvaldo Jeanty and his Carleton Ravens, shown here in the East Final against York, will be the third seed when Nationals tip off in Halifax later this week. Photo by Miles Ryan Rowat.)
For more information please contact:
Michel Bélanger
Communications manager
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Ph: (613) 562-5670 ext. 25
Cell: (613) 447-6334
belanger@universitysport.ca
www.universitysport.ca
John Keefe
Communications Manager
Atlantic University Sport
Ph: (902) 425-4235
jkeefe@atlanticuniversitysport.com