For the second straight year, the ultimate prize in Canadian university basketball will be up for grabs in the nation’s capital. The Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Men’s Basketball Final 8 tournament will be happening March 7-9 at the Canadian Tire Centre. The Carleton Ravens are looking to capture their fourth consecutive national championship, which would also add to the program’s record haul by winning its 10th CIS title in the last 12 years.
Here is a preview of the eight teams set to battle for Canadian supremacy.
#1—University of Ottawa Gee-Gees (20-2 in regular season, 3-0 in playoffs)
How they got here: Ontario University Athletics (OUA) champions.
The Gee-Gees were ranked second in the country for most of the season behind their cross-town rivals from Carleton, but a win in a thrilling OUA final over the Ravens convinced the seeding committee to give them top billing at the tournament.
Player to watch: Johnny Berhanemeskel (fourth-year guard)
Berhanemeskel was sixth in the nation in points per game this season, averaging 20.6 per contest. He also hit a contested, game-winning, fade-away jumper with only five-tenths of a second left to help his team win the OUA title. He was named a first team OUA East all-star this season.
Noteworthy statistics: The Gee-Gees averaged 96.4 points per game during the regular season, which was the highest total in Canada. They also attempt the most three-pointers per game and they’re second in their success rate from beyond the arc, behind Carleton.
Results this year against tournament teams:
Nov. 16- 100-85 win over McMaster
Nov. 29 – 94-73 loss to Carleton
Jan. 21 – 82-58 loss to Carleton
Feb. 28 – 101-68 win over McMaster
March 1 – 78-77 win over Carleton
Biggest question: Are the Gee-Gees going to be able to live up to the top seed in the tournament by capturing their program’s first national championship?
#2—Carleton Ravens (22-0 in regular season, 2-1 in playoffs)
How they got here: OUA finalists and hosts.
The Ravens were the undisputed top team in Canada this year, compiling a perfect regular season record and they hadn’t lost to a CIS team since November 2012. But a loss to the Gee-Gees in the OUA final ended the streak, and made them get bumped from the top spot in the national rankings for the first time all season.
Player to watch: Philip Scrubb (fourth-year guard)
Scrubb is the three-time defending national player of the year, and he’s won a national championship in all three of his previous years at Carleton. His 18.6 points per game may only sit 14th in the country, but his ball distribution is evident with an average of 4.9 assists per game, which was ninth in the country. Also, his 47 per cent rate from three-point range is fifth best in the nation. He was named the OUA East player of the year for the third straight season.
Noteworthy statistics: The Ravens are second best in the nation in both points scored and allowed each game, narrowly behind the Gee-Gees and the University of Victoria Vikes, respectively. They also have the best three-point shooting percentage, the best free throw conversion rate, and the fewest turnovers allowed per game in the CIS.
Results against this year’s tournament teams:
Nov. 15 – 83-72 win over McMaster
Nov. 29 – 84-73 win over Ottawa
Jan. 21 – 82-58 win over Ottawa
March 1 – 78-77 loss to Ottawa
Biggest question: Will the Ravens be able to avenge their OUA final loss to the Gee-Gees and reaffirm their place atop the nation by winning the program’s 10th national championship in the last 12 seasons?
#3—University of Alberta Golden Bears (20-2 in regular season, 4-1 in playoffs)
How they got here: Canada West University Athletic Association (CWUAA) champions.
The Golden Bears won the CWUAA title over the Victoria Vikes in an 82-77 championship game. It was the second western title for the Golden Bears in the last three years.
Player to watch: Jordan Baker (fifth-year forward)
Baker is the highest scorer and rebounder for his team, as his average of 17.6 points per game and 8.2 rebounds lead Alberta in both categories. He is also second on his team in assists per game with an average of 3.1 in each outing, and these stats helped him earn conference player of the year recognition.
Noteworthy statistics: The Golden Bears have the third-highest field goal percentage in the CIS, shooting at a 46.4 rate. The only other category the team sits in the top five is in points allowed per game, where they sit in fifth with 67.5 points against each game.
Results against this year’s tournament teams:
Jan. 11- 61-58 win over Victoria
Feb. 14 – 80-62 win over Saskatchewan
Feb. 15 – 99-91 win over Saskatchewan
Feb. 28 – 83-65 win over Saskatchewan
Mar. 1 – 82-77 win over Victoria
Biggest question: Can the Golden Bears handle the pressure in the big moments after missing the CIS Final 8 last season and losing in the championship final in 2012?
#4—University of Victoria Vikes (19-3 in regular season, 3-2 in playoffs)
How they got here: CWUAA finalists.
The Vikes lost in the CUWAA final to the Golden Bears, where they almost managed to come back from a 19-point deficit after three quarters to crawl all the way back. It was the second straight season where they lost in the final after losing by three points to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds last season.
Player to watch: Terrel Evans (fifth-year forward)
Evans led his team with 18.1 points per game while also averaging seven rebounds a contest, and those numbers helped earn him a conference first team all-star nod.
Noteworthy statistics: The Vikes may not score a lot given their 75.9 points per game offensive production, which is only 20th in the CIS, but they allowed the fewest points against in the entire nation at 60.2 per game. Their offence is also effective on its shots, as the team is ranked fourth in Canada with a 46.1 field goal percentage.
Results against this year’s tournament teams:
Jan. 10 – 55-46 win over Saskatchewan
Jan. 11 – 61-58 loss to Alberta
Mar. 1 – 82-77 loss to Alberta
Biggest question: Will the Vikes be able to win against tough competition after losing both meetings this season to the Golden Bears?
#5—McGill University Redmen (14-2 in regular season, 2-0 in the playoffs)
How they got here: Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) champions.
The Redmen won the RSEQ after thumping the Bishop’s University Gaiters by a 73-47 margin in the RSEQ final. The win marked McGill’s second straight provincial title after beating Bishop’s in the final the last two seasons.
Player to watch: Vincent Dufort (third-year guard)
Dufort leads his squad in both scoring and assists per game, averaging 12.5 points and 3.3 assists each game. His 6.4 rebounds every game is second on his team, as is his average of 1.8 steals per game. This all-court game is a significant reason why Dufort was rewarded with the conference’s most valuable player honours.
Noteworthy stats: The Redmen are the best rebounding team in the country with an average of 44.3 boards per game. The team’s defensive prowess is demonstrated through its other top national ranking in lowest opposing field goal percentage of 34.4 per cent from the floor.
Results against this year’s tournament teams:
*Have not played against any teams at the CIS Final 8 during the regular season and playoffs.
Biggest question:
How will the Redmen match up against competition that is significantly better than the level of competition they faced this season?
#6—Saint Mary’s University Huskies (14-6 in regular season, 2-0 in playoffs)
How they got here: Atlantic University Sport (AUS) champions.
The Huskies won the AUS championship by beating the St. Francis Xavier University X-Men by a score of 81-72 to capture the program’s first AUS men’s basketball title since 2008.
Player to watch: Theon Reefer (second-year guard)
Reefer averages team-highs with 18.8 points and two steals per game. Reefer was named a first team AUS all-star for his achievements this season.
Noteworthy stats: The Huskies are an offence-oriented team, ranked fourth in the nation with 86.5 points per game, yet also give up the 26th most points to their opponents with 78.1 points allowed each game. They are also second in the CIS with 10.9 steals per contest, as well as third in Canada with 3.8 blocks each outing.
Results against this year’s tournament teams:
*Have not played against any teams at the CIS Final 8 during the regular season and playoffs.
Biggest question: Will the Huskies’ lack of experience against elite teams hurt them when they take on some of Canada’s best?
#7- McMaster University Marauders (18-4 in regular season, 2-1 in playoffs)
How they got here: OUA bronze medallists.
The Marauders were blown out by the Gee-Gees in the OUA semifinal, but since the Ravens are hosting the tournament, another spot became open for the OUA bronze medalists. With that extra spot at nationals on the line, McMaster defeated the University of Windsor Lancers in an epic 93-89 overtime battle to earn a CIS Final 8 berth.
Player to watch: Taylor Black (fourth-year centre)
Black is a big presence for his team and leads them with 7.9 boards per game, while also scoring an average of 13.9 points per game. He was named to the OUA West first team all-star this season.
Noteworthy stats: The Marauders do a solid job playing at both ends of the court, evidenced by their 85.5 points scored per game (fifth in the CIS) and only 69.1 points allowed per game (ninth in the CIS). This two-way play is also observed when looking at how the team has the sixth best field goal percentage of 45.1 per cent, and also happens to have the sixth best opposing field goal percentage at 38.7 per cent.
Results against this year’s tournament teams:
Nov. 15 – 83-72 loss to Carleton
Nov. 16 – 100-85 loss to Ottawa
Feb. 28 – 101-68 loss to Ottawa
Biggest question: Do the Marauders have the ability to finally beat their rivals from the OUA on the road?
#8— University of Saskatchewan Huskies (15-7 in regular season, 3-1 in playoffs)
How they got here: Wildcard (CWUAA bronze medallists).
The Huskies lost in the CWUAA semifinal against Alberta, which meant they did not receive an automatic appearance in the CIS Final 8. However, the tournament selection committee rewarded its only at-large berth at nationals to Saskatchewan because they won the bronze medal.
Player to watch: Stephon Lamar (fourth-year guard)
Lamar and his 19.0 points per game led his Huskies team in scoring and also placed seventh in the country. In addition, he leads his team in assists per game with an average of 5.3. He was named to the conference first all-star team this year after winning player of the year honours last season.
Noteworthy stats: The Huskies are a strong rebounding team as seen by their average of 42 rebounds per game, which ranks sixth in Canada. They also rely heavily on the three-ball to help them score, as they attempt the second most three-pointers in the nation with about 28.1 attempts each game, and this contributes to their seventh-place standing in points per game with an average of 83.5 scored.
Results against this year’s tournament teams:
Jan. 10- 55-46 loss to Victoria
Feb. 14- 80-62 loss to Alberta
Feb. 15- 99-91 loss to Alberta
Feb. 28- 83-65 loss to Alberta
Biggest question: Will the Huskies be able to push the tournament’s top teams given their inability to beat their elite western rivals this year?
—
Here is the schedule for the opening quarter-final games March 7 (All times are in EST).
12:30 p.m. – #3 Alberta vs. #6 Saint Mary’s
2:30 p.m. – #2 Carleton vs. #7 McMaster
5:30 p.m. – #4 Victoria vs. #5 McGill
8:00 p.m. – #1 Ottawa vs. #8 Saskatchewan
