Panthers heading for UNB

UPEI rookie Bryce Corless to play first university games in New Brunswick

Rookie Bryce Corless gets a chance to play in his home province today as the UPEI Panthers are in Fredericton, N.B., to play the UNB Varsity Reds for a pair of weekend games.

The men play at 8 p.m. and the women at 6 p.m. and Saturday in two-point Atlantic University Sport (AUS) basketball games. UPEI finishes the regular season at home next weekend with four-point games with St. FX and Dalhousie.

Men

“We’ve been really happy with Bryce,” men’s head coach Darrell Glenn said Thursday afternoon. “He’s made a lot of strides this year. I’m sure he’s excited to be close to his hometown.”

The six-foot-five wing from Quispamsis, N.B., is averaging five points and two rebounds per game as a freshman.

“I think he has an opportunity to be a really, really good player,” Glenn said. “We’re really excited about him and the progress he’s made and excited about where we think he can go.”

With the Panthers lack of size and injuries this season, Coreless has found himself playing the four and even the five at times, showing his versatility and willingness to fill whatever role the squad has.

“Because he can really shoot the ball, he’s really kind of stretched the floor for us at that position,” Glenn said, noting his 37 per cent shooting from three-point territory.

They may need Coreless to play some time this weekend at the four and five with centre D’Adrian Allen is questionable with an illness. Rookie guard Dakelle Brooks is out with a knee injury.

Glenn said the team has been working on its defence, ball movement and taking good shots in recent practices.

The Panthers are 3-13 while UNB is 13-3. UPEI trails St. FX and Memorial by 10 points for the final two playoff spots.

Women

The women’s Panthers (8-8) are looking at improving their play without the ball in order to get them above .500.

Head coach Greg Gould said the team is scoring 8.5 more points than a year ago, but has about the same record.

“To get beyond that, we have to continue to be able to score at the level we’re scoring at, but we have to be able to defend better,” he said.

The Panthers are looking to also be more consistent. UPEI has won back-to-back games once and three in a row once this season while also losing three games in a row.

Gould acknowledged to win in the playoffs the squad will have to string at least two wins together but noted it isn’t the only team in the conference that has had trouble winning back-to-back games against good teams.

“We’re going to go to Fredericton with the idea to try and win two games,” he said, and then win two next week at home to go to the playoffs on a four-game win streak. “It’s never easy, for sure, but that’s the goal.”

Jane McLaughlin returned to practice on Wednesday after suffering from concussion-like symptoms.

Her status for this weekend had not been determined on Thursday afternoon.

The Varsity Reds are 7-9 heading into the weekend.