The Carleton Ravens women’s basketball team is set to take on cross-town rivals, the University of Ottawa (U of O) Gee-Gees, in the annual Capital Hoops Classic on Feb. 2, at the Canadian Tire Centre.
Carleton is entering the game on an 18 game win streak and remain undefeated in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) this season. The Ravens have moved up the national rankings to second place, while the U of O remains outside of the top 10.
Despite coming in hot, the Ravens will not be taking the Gee-Gees lightly.
“As with every game that we play against the University of Ottawa, and especially in past Capital Hoops Classic games, I expect another close affair,” said Ravens head coach, Taffe Charles.
Carleton has won the previous two Capital Hoops games and has nine returning players who participated in last year’s victory.
“The more veteran team that you have, the better opportunity you have to be successful in the game. There are many distractions during the week so the more games that you have under your belt, the better that the players are [able] to focus on their assignments and trying to get a positive result,” Charles said.
Andrew Sparks, the U of O’s head coach since 2008, had a similar take when he said, “Obviously Carleton has an outstanding, experienced team that is in my opinion, a favorite for nationals this year. They are well coached and it will be a challenge to compete with them in the Capital Hoops game this year.”
Statistically speaking, the gap between the two teams isn’t huge. Carleton is 18-0 while the U of O is 12-6. Heading into the rivalry game, the Gee-Gees are the host and have yet to lose a game at home this season. Both teams are strong rebounders with Carleton averaging 44 rebounds per game, and the U of O averaging 42.4 (up from 38.5 in 2016-17). The Ravens are 41.6 per cent from the field, while the Gee-Gees are close behind with 35.2.
Both teams are elite at suppressing their opponents shooting percentage. Carleton is ranked first in U Sports, as they limit their opponents to a 27.1 field goal percentage. The U of O team is ranked second, limiting their opponents to a 33.3 field goal percentage.
“In the past there have been no clear favourites in the game. However, this year we are a young but talented team, including six rookies who will be experiencing this game for the first time,” Sparks said.
The U of O has five returning players from last year’s game, but with youth, comes new players and opportunity. First-year Brigitte Lefebvre-Okankwu is making the most of her opportunity as a starter. She leads the Gee-Gees with 12.6 points per game and has proven herself to be a capable rebounder as well, averaging 6.6 a game.
“Brigitte was a top recruit this year, and we are not surprised with her success. She is an excellent athlete and although she still has much to learn, she competes at a high level,” Sparks said.
Ravens forward Heather Lindsay is third overall in U Sports scoring, shooting an impressive 54.9 per cent, while Lefebvre-Okankwu is fifth overall in scoring at 52.5 per cent.
Carleton’s five starters have been excellent this year and are averaging 47.8 points per game, and 29 rebounds per game, while the U of O’s starters have also been above average with 40 points per game, and 25 rebounds per game.
“I really enjoy Capital Hoops, I love the amount of energy that the crowd brings. In terms of the game plan and prep, not much changes,” Ravens guard Stephanie Carr said in an email.
Gee-Gees first-year Maia Timmons has been dangerous from three-point range, shooting 35 percent. For the Ravens, Jenjen Abella has been a consistent threat beyond the arch. She’s leading the team with 4.4 attempts per game, and scoring on 28 per cent of those shots.
“It is always an excellent opportunity to celebrate the game of basketball in the Ottawa area,” Charles said.
Photo by Trevor Swann
