WBB: Upset specialists face stiff tests in quarters

WBB: Upset specialists face stiff tests in quarters
Posted: Feb 14, 2019

Brian Swane, Special to Canada West

EDMONTON – After a thrilling play-in round that featured multiple upsets, the Canada West women's basketball playoffs continue this weekend with quarter-final series being hosted by the No. 1 Saskatchewan Huskies, No. 2 Calgary Dinos, No. 3 Regina Cougars, and No. 4 Alberta Pandas.

The top four seeds are fresh off a bye through to this best-of-three round, while their opponents – Lethbridge, UNBC, Victoria, and Winnipeg – had to survive a do-or-die game last week.

At stake are berths in next weekend's best-of-three semifinals, one step removed from a spot in the 2019 Canada West Championship and U SPORTS Final 8.

 

 

 

12. Winnipeg (8-12 reg. season, 1-0 playoffs) -AT- No. 1 Saskatchewan (16-4, 0-0)

  • Physical Activity Complex in Saskatoon
  • Game 1 – Thursday Feb. 14, 6 p.m. CST
  • Game 2 – Friday Feb. 15, 6 p.m. CST
  • Game 3* - Saturday Feb. 16, 6 p.m. CST

The Wesmen shocked Canada West last week, as the lowest-seeded playoff team knocked off No. 5 UBC, 67-64, in Vancouver. Their reward? A match-up with the nationally ranked Saskatchewan Huskies, who were 2-0 against Winnipeg this season with a 34-point average margin of victory. These teams also played a quarter-final series in Saskatoon last year, with the hosts prevailing in three games. Saskatchewan is unbeaten at the PAC this season, though Winnipeg's road record is 6-5 including playoffs. The Huskies are Canada West's top scoring team, averaging 81.3 points, while Wesmen forward Faith Hezekiah's 23.8 points per game led the conference.

 

 

No. 9 UNBC (11-9, 1-0) -AT- No. 2 Calgary (17-3, 0-0)

  • Jack Simpson Gym in Calgary
  • Game 1 – Friday Feb. 15, 6 p.m. MST
  • Game 2 – Saturday Feb. 16, 6 p.m. MST
  • Game 3* - Sunday Feb. 17, 6 p.m. MST

UNBC is riding high from its first ever Canada West playoff win, staging a late rally to stun Trinity Western 80-78 in Langley last week. Calgary, on the other hand, has plenty of post-season experience, with 10 players back from last year's team that won Canada West bronze and advanced to the U SPORTS Final 8. These teams have only played each other on three occasions since UNBC joined Canada West in 2012, with Calgary winning every time. UNBC senior Vasiliki Louka leads Canada West in rebounding (12.7 per game), and teammate Maria Mongomo is third with 19.9 points per game. The Dinos have won 15 straight conference games, a streak that stretches back to mid-November.

 

 

No. 7 Victoria (12-8, 1-0) -AT- No. 3 Regina (17-3, 0-0)

  • Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport in Regina
  • Game 1 – Thursday Feb. 14, 7 p.m. CST
  • Game 2 – Friday Feb. 15, 7 p.m. CST
  • Game 3* - Saturday Feb. 16, 7 p.m. CST

Only two teams can say they beat the defending Canada West champion Cougars this season, and one of them is the Vikes, who split two games against Regina at the start of January.  Regina is red-hot, having won eight in a row, while Victoria entered the post-season on a four-game win streak and then beat UFV 80-61 in the play-in round. The Cougars were second in Canada West for both points scored (79.7) and points allowed (57.1), and further ranked as the conference's No. 1 rebounding team. Victoria also averages well over 70 points, propelled by the backcourt of Amira Giannattasio (20.1 points per game) and Calli McMillian, who led Canada West with 4.8 assists per game.

 

No. 6 Lethbridge (12-8, 1-0) -AT- No. 4 Alberta (15-5, 0-0)

  • Saville Community Sports Centre in Edmonton 
  • Game 1 – Thursday Feb. 14, 6 p.m. MST
  • Game 2 – Friday Feb. 15, 6 p.m. MST
  • Game 3* - Saturday Feb. 15, 5 p.m. MST

The Pronghorns earned their first playoff victory in 17 years last week, and did so emphatically, blasting Manitoba 99-60 in Lethbridge to win for the eighth time in their last nine. Alberta, which finished the season losing three of four, has won its past eight home games in the post-season. The Pandas and Pronghorns played two tightly contested games at the Saville Centre in November, when Alberta pulled out victories both nights, but only after trailing in the fourth quarter. Players to watch include veteran Pandas guard Emma Kary (17.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game) and her Lethbridge counterpart Kacie Bosch (averages of 15.1 points and 5.8 boards).