The ultimate prize in Canadian university basketball will be contested for on March 12-15. The Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) will hold its Final 8 championship, hosted by the Ryerson Rams.
The top-seeded Carleton Ravens are looking for their fifth consecutive championship and their 11th overall.
Here is a preview of the eight teams competing.
#1 Carleton Ravens (OUA champions: 17-2 regular season, 3-0 in playoffs)
Despite having two regular season losses this season, which is more losses than their past four regular seasons combined, the Ravens managed to take the top seed in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) standings. Both losses were against teams that will be playing in the tournament. The loss to the University of Ottawa came as a surprise, but the Ravens made up for it with a big victory against the Gee-Gees in the MNBA Capital Hoops Classic. The other loss was to the Windsor Lancers, but the Ravens had the last word dismantling the Lancers 103-59 in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) final.
Player to watch: Thomas Scrubb (fifth-year forward)
When the name Scrubb is mentioned, many think of the more decorated younger brother Philip Scrubb, reigning CIS male athlete of the year. However this season has been outstanding for the older brother Thomas, who averaged 17.2 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per game. Thomas is one of the smartest players in the CIS, using his full six-foot-six height advantage but also managing good ball handling skills for a forward.
Noteworthy statistics:
The Ravens average 91.1 points per game, second to U of O in the OUA, and only allowed 56.4 points per game, also second to U of O. Carleton is also the best three-point shooting team, shooting 46.1 per cent from beyond the arc, and the second-best field goal shooting team at 50.5 per cent.
Biggest question:
Will the Ravens be able to hold the momentum from the OUA championship, or will the slightly statistically superior Gee-Gees be too much for them, should they meet?
#2 Windsor Lancers (OUA finalists: 15-5 regular season, 3-1 in playoffs)
The Lancers had a successful regular season, although they were upset a few times by weaker teams such as York and Western, but accomplished an impressive feat defeating the Ravens. No one can deny this is a playoff team, defeating the OUA top-ranked Gee-Gees to go on to the Wilson Cup Final, but they were pummelled 103-59 by the Ravens.
Player to watch: Rotimi Osuntola (fourth-year guard)
Osuntola is an offensive powerhouse, finishing fourth in the OUA for points per game with 20.2. He also holds an impressive 49.8 field goal percent and led the CIS in rebounds per game with 11.5. The six-foot-five forward will be a hard matchup for any team.
Noteworthy statististics:
Windsor finished fourth in the OUA for points per game with 86.6. They also attempted and made more free throw attempts than any other tournament team made free throws per game, meaning they rely on drawing fouls for a significant portion of their points.
Biggest question:
Will the Lancers be able to bounce back from the big loss to the Ravens in the OUA final, or will they build on the momentum of the win they stole from the Gee-Gees?
#3 University of Ottawa Gee-Gees (OUA bronze medalists: 18-1 regular season, 2-1 in playoffs)
The Gee-Gees capped off an outstanding season entering the OUA Final Four as the top tournament seed and defeating their crosstown rivals, the Carleton Ravens, in one of two match-ups during the regular season. They came into the playoffs strong, easily handling Laurentian in their first game, but were shocked at home by the lower-seeded Windsor Lancers, losing 85-80. They did finish the tournament on a high note, winning the bronze medal over the host Ryerson Rams, 79-66.
Player to watch: Johnny Berhanemeskel (fifth-year guard)
Berhanemeskel led the OUA, and came third in the CIS in points per game with 23.2 on his way to an OUA player of the year award. He also reps an impressive 55.5 per cent field goal percentage. Berhanemeskel has had a great playoff performance averaging 22.7 points per game, and scored 39 in their bronze medal defeat of the Rams. The six-foot-two guard has been the go-to guy for the Gee-Gees this season.
Noteworthy statistics:
In the CIS regular season the Gee-Gees are first in points per game, averaging an astounding 94.5. They are also seventh in points allowed per game with 69.2. Another important statistic is they are second with personal fouls per game, letting their temper build up an average of 16.4 points against.
Biggest question:
Will the Gee-Gees be able to keep a certain level of calm in such a big tournament, given their performance in the OUA semifinal game on their home court?
#4 Victoria Vikes (CWUAA champions: 15-5 regular season, 4-0 in playoffs)
The Victoria Vikes had another successful season, struggling mainly with the eighth-seeded University of Saskatchewan Huskies. The Vikes lost to the Huskies twice during the regular season and once in exhibition, but they were able to get their revenge in the Canada West Finals to claim the championship. This was their third time playing in the Canada West Championship, but their only victory. They may not have the best regular season record, but a 4-0 playoff performance is enough to prove the Vikes are where they should be.
Player to watch: Chris McLaughlin (fifth-year forward)
McLaughlin is a Canada West second team all-star and led this team in rebounds with 10 per game, which is good for fifth overall in the CIS. McLaughlin is a huge presence on the court at six-foot-teen, but he’s also a strong offensive forward, who averaged 19.8 points per game, second in the CWUAA. He also led the league in field goals with 154. Watch out, this big man can shoot.
Noteworthy Statistics:
The Vikes only average 78.6 points per game, only slightly higher than the fifth-seeded Dalhousie Tigers, making their point total average third-lowest in the tournament.
Biggest question:
After having such a hard time with the Huskies during the 2014-15 season, how will they handle now being the Canada West champions for the first time?
#5 Dalhousie Tigers (AUS champions: 10-10 regular season, 3-0 in playoffs)
Despite having a .500 regular season, the Tigers came out swinging in the playoffs, winning three straight games and defeating top-tiered teams such as the St. Mary’s Huskies. The Tigers showed some serious stamina after trailing the entire game to the Huskies, before forcing overtime, where they managed to take the game 88-78.
Player to watch: Kashrell Lawrence (third-year forward)
The Atlantic University Sport (AUS) championship MVP scored 31 points for Dalhousie vs. the Huskies. Lawrence is fourth in AUS for points per game averaging 18.1, and was one of the CIS’ best field goal shooters at 60.2 per cent this season. At six-foot-two, Lawrence may not be big for a forward but he managed to take 17 rebounds in the game against the Huskies.
Noteworthy statistics:
Dalhousie had the top defence in the AUS conference, with the least points allowed at 77.9 per game. Despite this, they had the fifth-highest points for per game at 77.6 points allowed, even though that ranks second-lowest for Final Eight teams.
Biggest questions:
Will the Tigers be able to match up against tougher teams from conferences where competition is much stronger, such as Canada West and the OUA?
#6 Bishop’s Gaiters (RSEQ champions: 8-8 regular season, 2-0 in playoffs)
The Gaiters could be this year’s Cinderella story. After having an up-and-down regular season with gym construction and injuries to star players, the Gaiters managed to finish the regular season at 8-8. With the newly renovated gym and a full crowd, the Gaiters managed to win the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) championship for the first time since 1999 after falling to McGill two years in a row.
Player to watch: Kyle Desmarais (fifth-year guard)
Desmarais is a conference first team all-star and the team leader in points per game with 14.4, and is a strong shooter from inside the arc at 58.5 per cent.
Noteworthy statistics:
The Gaiters have the lowest points per game in the Final Eight with only 69.1. They rank 40th in the CIS with this rate. On the flip side, they rank third in the CIS with points against per game only allowing 65.5, second only to Carleton among tournament teams.
Biggest questions:
Will the Cinderella story continue or will the clock strike midnight? The Gaiters lack a key player to truly carry them, and will have to rely on good all-around team play.
#7 Ryerson Rams (Host, OUA Fourth place: 17-2 regular season, 1-2 in playoffs)
The Rams had a remarkable season up until the finish. Being ranked third in the country through most of it makes it a big surprise that they are ranked seventh in the Final Eight. The Rams gave the Ravens quite the scare in the OUA semifinal, holding the lead until the final minutes before Carleton managed to make a last-minute comeback. The wind seemed to be knocked out of the Rams, because they could not match up to a much stronger Gee-Gee team for the bronze medal.
Player to watch: Jahmal Jones (fifth-year guard)
Jones had an incredible season, averaging 17.2 points per game, making him 10th in the OUA. Jones also led the league in assists this regular season with 102. Jones stepped it up these playoffs for the Rams, averaging 21.3 points per game over three games.
Noteworthy statistics:
The Rams’ regular season stats would have you believe them to be a higher-seeded team than they are. They averaged 89.3 points per game, which is the third-highest in the difficult OUA conference. They also held an outstanding 65.9 points against per game, which was the second least allowed. This will be another lower-seeded team to watch out for.
Biggest questions:
Will the Rams live up to the potential they possess to make it far in the tournament? They also have the added benefit of home-court advantage, and are sure to step it up on the big stage.
#8 University of Saskatchewan Huskies (CWUAA finalists: 15-5 regular season, 3-2 playoffs)
The Huskies had a successful regular season despite a slow start, and they ended up going all of January without a single loss. The Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA) finals against the Vikes gave Huskies fans something to worry about, giving up a late lead over a team they had beaten twice during the regular season.
Players to watch: Matthew Forbes (fourth-year forward)
Forbes had a solid regular season, averaging 13.4 points per game, second for his team, but it was his playoff performance that really got him noticed. Averaging 17.4 points per game led the Huskies to the championships. The six-foot-six forward is a big man down low and can find a variety of ways to score.
Noteworthy statistics:
The Huskies average 83.3 points per game, which was second in the CWUAA, showing their offensive prowess. It was defense that held the Huskies back this season, finishing eighth in the league with 76.4 points against.
Biggest questions:
Losing a heartbreaker in the final minutes of the CWUAA championship against a team they’ve beaten multiple times this season leads to some serious questions. If one thing is obvious, it’s that this is a streaky team. This just leaves the question if they will prove why they should be here or collapse again?
