Panda Game, Colonel By Classic and now Capital Hoops — the last of this school year’s University Rivalry Series in the nation’s capital is underway.
The biggest event in university basketball is back, as the Carleton Ravens and the uOttawa Gee-Gees return Friday at TD Place for the 19th edition of Capital Hoops.
Heading into Friday night’s double-header, the Ravens lead the all-time Capital Hoops series in both women’s (12-5) and men’s (13-5) matchups.
The Ravens’ women’s squad is searching for their fifth straight victory after two consecutive comeback wins, while the men’s team is hoping to prevent the Gee-Gees from achieving a three-peat.
Will these streaks continue, or will they finally snap?
Let’s break it down:
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
The women’s matchup will kick off the double-header at 6 p.m., offering a preview of a potential playoff matchup later this month. Both squads enter Capital Hoops boasting win streaks and battling for valuable points in the OUA East.
LAST YEAR’S CAPITAL HOOPS RESULT:
After an early stumble put them down 11 at halftime in last year’s matchup, the Ravens drew from the same playbook as their 2024 Capital Hoops win, rallying all the way back to drop the Gee-Gees 58-54.
Led by guard-forward duo Kyana-Jade Poulin and Jacqueline Urban — who combined for 31 points — the Ravens rained threes in the second half to solidify the comeback.
Gee-Gees graduate Natsuki Szczokin led the charge for a game-high 19 points, along with Allie McCarthy, who gave the Gee-Gees life in the dying minutes, but couldn’t push the game to overtime.
THIS SEASON:
Both teams have solidified their spots in the postseason, but a Capital Hoops victory would boost either team’s chances at home court advantage.
While this season isn’t the 22-0 or 21-1 outing the Ravens have boasted the past two seasons, they remain a top OUA contender. Currently sitting at 13-5 and hot off a four-game win streak, the Ravens’ defence has proved stellar this season, allowing the fewest points in the OUA.
The 10-8 Gee-Gees are sporting a win streak of their own, coming off a pair of victories against Algoma (80-40) and Lakehead (78-68) last weekend, and will look to avenge their 64-63 loss against the Ravens earlier this season. Poulin and Urban combined for 39 points for Carleton in that game, who prevented the GeeGees from scoring a game-winning buzzer-beater.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Poulin and Urban are looking to strike big again in Capital Hoops. The pair combined for 31 of the Ravens 58 points in last year’s matchup, with Poulin draining six threes for a team-high 18 points.
Poulin leads the squad in scoring and ranks fifth in points per game in the OUA, netting nearly 19 per outing. Her forward partner, Urban, lands third in defensive rebounds and sixth in total rebounds.
Players will also have to watch for Ravens centre Abany Deng, who has 34 blocks this season, the third-most in the league. Deng, who has rotated as a starter and bench player, stepped into a larger role this season for the Ravens and will look to use her size to give the Ravens an edge.
For the Gee-Gees, Bailey Russell and Allie McCarthy are driving forces behind their offence.
Russell’s league-leading shooting from beyond the arc, mixed with her third-placed assists and points numbers, has lifted the Gee-Gees this season. Combined with her guard and forward partner McCarthy, who ranks second in the league’s scoring and fourth in assists, the two have provided consistent scoring on multiple outings for the Gee-Gees.
Russell and McCarthy also rank one and two in minutes played in the OUA.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Two nationally ranked squads in U SPORTS — the third-place Ravens (16-2) and eighth-place Gee-Gees (12-6) — will hit the court at 8 p.m., as two of the country’s top competitors fight for valuable points in the OUA standings.
LAST YEAR’S CAPITAL HOOPS RESULT:
After a tightly contested matchup through the opening two quarters, the Gee-Gees’ hot shooting blew the game wide open and propelled them to a dominant 79-66 win. Backed by Jacques-Mélaine Guemeta’s 22-point outing and supported by Dragan Stajic and Justin Ndjock-Tadjore’s 13 points, the Gee-Gees galloped past the Ravens.
Although Carleton’s Xavier Spencer and Nelson Cilien combined for 33 points, turnovers plagued the Ravens en route to a 25-11 blowout in the third quarter, which knocked them out of the game.
The win gave the Gee-Gees their second straight Capital Hoops victory.
THIS SEASON:
The 16-2 Ravens squad, built through size, physicality and defence, are riding into Friday’s game on the back of six consecutive wins, including a 91-61 shelling against Algoma. Leading the league in rebounds and net efficiency, they’ve also allowed the fewest points per game this season, averaging under 62 per game.
Despite being bested by two unlikely competitors, the Laurentian Voyageurs and Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, the Ravens have proven themselves against top competitors in the OUA, bolstering their third-place spot in Canada.
The 12-6 Gee-Gees haven’t slowed down, either. They excel at controlling the ball on both ends of the court, leading the league in fewest turnovers per game while grabbing the second-most defensive rebounds.
With the Gee-Gees scoring nearly 84 points per game, an offensive force and a defensive juggernaut are set to collide Friday night.
This season, the Ravens cruised past the Gee-Gees 83-64 on the road, powered by Marjok “MJ” Okado’s 25-point outing.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
The Ravens have scored by committee this season, rolling six players above 100 points, three above 200. The offence is headlined by the trio of Okado (291), Aubrey Dorey-Havens (250) and Emanuel Milon (217), who’ve all shined when needed for Carleton.
The Gee-Gees will have to monitor Dorey-Havens, whose third-ranked three-point shooting (48 threes in 18 games), combined with fourth-ranked assists (86), has cemented him as an X-Factor offensively. Whether it’s draining shots from range, slashing his way to the rim or setting up his teammates, Dorey-Havens has commanded the offence this season. Defensively, the guard is often seen guarding the opponent’s best player, proving his capabilities on both ends of the floor.
Like the Ravens, the Gee-Gees spread-out offense has established them as a multi-levelled scoring team. They are led by Brock Newton (256), Owen Kenney (240) and Alec Phaneuf (227).
Newton, who picked up experience with the CEBL’s Ottawa BlackJacks in the off-season, has proven a force to reckon with this season. Picking up all 256 points from inside the arc, Newton’s interior dominance has given him the lead in scoring, rebounding and blocks.
CAPITAL-IZING
With win streaks at stake and important playoff implications, the cross-town rivalry will bring fans from across the city to TD Place. An estimated 7,000 people will be in attendance.
Tipoffs are set for Friday at 6 p.m and 8 p.m.
Featured image by Anya Swettenham/the Charlatan
This article, and all of the Charlatan’s work, is brought to you by an independent student newspaper dedicated to informing, uplifting and entertaining the Carleton University community. We are a levy-funded organization which plays a role in the broader, vibrant student culture on campus. By reading this article, you are supporting our efforts.
