Ontario University Athletics (OUA) announced the 2021-22 schedules for basketball and hockey Wednesday, scheduling the start of the regular season for both sports on Nov. 3.
Carleton men’s and women’s basketball will start their seasons at the Raven’s Nest with games against the Nipissing University Lakers. Carleton men’s hockey will kick off their season against the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees.
“The hardwood has housed many a memorable moment over the years, and after a sport-less season left the gyms empty in 2020-21, OUA basketball is back to write the latest chapter in its storied history,” the OUA said in a press release.
On Jan. 8, the Ravens and Gee-Gees’ women’s basketball teams will open the winter semester schedule with a rematch of the 2019-20 OUA quarterfinals. While Carleton lost that game 57-48, the Ravens still appeared in the U Sports Final 8 national championship with an automatic berth as the host school.
The men’s teams will also face off on the same day. In 2019-20, the Gee-Gees were the only team to defeat Carleton’s men’s team during a 21-1 season, with the loss coming at the annual Capital Hoops match-up.
The Ravens went on to eliminate the Gee-Gees in the semifinals of the OUA Wilson Cup championship, although uOttawa still reached nationals with an automatic berth.
The Wilson Cup final, which last took place on Feb. 29, 2020, will be held for the first time in more than two years on March 5, 2022.
Carleton men’s hockey last played on Feb. 22, 2020, when they lost 3-1 to the Concordia University Stingers in game two of a three-game series. The Ravens previously lost game one of the series in the longest playoff game in OUA history.
Carleton had been the third-ranked team in Canada, but the loss eliminated them from the OUA playoffs and crushed the team’s dream of making nationals.
Changes to OUA basketball this season include a reduction from three to two divisions, with each team playing a condensed 16-game season. Men’s hockey will play a 20-game regular season and be divided into four divisions—Far East, East, West and Far West.
The changes aim to reduce cross-regional travel amid COVID-19.
Neither Carleton or the OUA has announced whether fans will be admitted to games this season.
While the OUA also announced the women’s hockey regular season schedule, Carleton women’s hockey competes in the Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec (RSEQ), the Quebec university athletics association. RSEQ has yet to announce the women’s hockey schedule.
Last week, the OUA released the schedules for fall semester sports, including football and soccer. The annual Panda Game between the Ravens and Gee-Gees will take place on Oct. 2 and Carleton men’s and women’s soccer will kick off their seasons on Sept. 24.
Featured photo by Spencer Colby.
