TARGETING THE TROPHY
Huskies are favourites
They’re No. 1 and clearly the pre-tournament favourite.
The University of Saskatchewan Huskies head into this week’s U Sports Final 8 women’s basketball championship tournament as the top seeded team — much like they were for nearly the entire 2019-20 season — with a big target on their backs.
The Huskies will open the tournament with a quarter-final matchup against the No. 8 seed, the host Carleton University Ravens. They’ll meet in Thursday’s late game (7 p.m.) at the TD Place Arena in Ottawa.
Saskatchewan won its only U Sports national championship crown back in 2016 but will be looking for No. 2 with its veteran-laden roster.
Before the tournament tip-off Thursday, a U Sports all-canadian awards gala will be held Wednesday night in Ottawa.
Here are five things to know as the Huskies chase another Bronze Baby:
1. QUARTER-FINAL MATCH-UP
Saskatchewan — which placed fourth a year ago after a 73-66 semifinal loss to eventual champion Mcmaster and 63-62 setback against the Ottawa Gee- Gees in the bronze-medal game — comes in as this year’s Canada West champion.
The Huskies won their fourth conference title in five years after defeating the University of Alberta Pandas this past weekend in Saskatoon.
Saskatchewan (18-2 in the regular season and 27-2 overall) was ranked No. 1 in U Sports women’s basketball for every week except one this season.
The Huskies have both the top-rated offence (averaging 83 points per game) and defence (allowing 49.5 points per game) in the nation. Their defence posted the best mark by a Canada West team since 2009-10.
Host Carleton comes in with a 15-7 record in the Ontario University Sport conference and 1-1 record in OUA playoffs. The Ravens ranked 24th in the nation, averaging 68.1 points per game on offence. They were much better defensively, ranking sixth nationally by allowing only 57.9 points per game.
2. TEAM LEADERS TO WATCH
Saskatchewan is led by fourthyear Huskies post player Summer Masikewich, who averaged 17.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game this season.
Guard Libby Epoch, who averaged 4.6 assists per game, runs the team’s offence.
Overall, seven players on the Huskies averaged more than five points per game.
A trio of fifth-years — Megan Ahlstrom, Vera Crooks and Latvian import Sabine Dukate — were all part of the team that won the program’s lone national title in 2016. They’ll look to cap off their Huskies career with another.
Carleton is led by Alyssa Cerino, who averages 16.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, while Kali Pocrnic chips in with an average of 3.0 assists per game.
3. THE FINAL 8 FIELD
Saskatchewan and host Carleton are joined by No. 2 Brock Badgers (OUA champion), No. 3 Ryerson Rams (OUA finalist), No. 4 Laval Rouge et Or (RSEQ champion), No. 5 Alberta Pandas (Canada West finalist), No. 6 UPEI Panthers (Atlantic University Sport champion) and No. 7 Calgary Dinos (CW semifinalist and wild-card berth).
Other than the Huskies, only the Ravens (2018), Pandas (1999) and Dinos (1989) have previously won U Sport women’s basketball titles.
4. U SPORTS TOP 100
A pair of former U of S Huskies have been added to the U Sports top 100 all-time team in celebration of the centennial anniversary of U Sports women’s basketball.
Sarah Crooks and Lindsay Degroot join three pioneers of women’s basketball at the U of S: Marg Sihvon (Curry), Patricia Lawson and Arlene Mcginn (Raycroft).
Crooks is a two-time CIS and Canada West player of the year (2006 and 2007). Crooks sits atop the Canada West all-time scoring list with 1,999 regular season points and was named the conference’s defensive player of the year in 2006. In addition to points, Crooks remains Canada West women’s basketball’s all-time leader in rebounds (1,181) and double-doubles (65).
Playing for Saskatchewan for just one season, 2009-10, Degroot was a standout for a Huskies squad that finished third at both the Canada West and U Sports level. She averaged 18.8 points, 8.4 rebounds in 31.1 minutes per game during her time with the Huskies.
The product of Thedford, Ont. was named both a Canada West first team all-star and a U Sports first team all-canadian while a member of the Huskies.
5. LIVE-STREAMING WEBCASTS
Final 8 games will be available to watch, via livestreaming, on Cbcsports.ca and CBC Gem.
The women’s tournament will be hosted jointly with the U Sports men’s basketball championship for the first time in the nation’s capital. The women’s tournament concludes Sunday with the gold-medal game at 4 p.m.