LONDON, Ont. - Western’s men’s and women’s basketball teams play their final home games of the 2009 portion of the 2009-10 season Nov. 20 and 21 at Alumni Hall. They will also be the last home interlocking games against OUA East teams, with all regular season games in 2010 against OUA West opponents.
While both Western squads travel to Toronto next weekend, Nov. 27-28, to play Ryerson and Toronto before the exam break, a crucial weekend to assist in positioning awaits them at Alumni Hall.
For the Western men, currently at 2-2 and fifth place in the OUA West, the two games against RMC (0-4) and Queen’s (1-3) will be key.
Fourth-year head coach Bradley Campbell said having at least a 4-4 record after interlock play will be crucial.
“We need to be in a position to have a strong record entering OUA West play,” Campbell said. “This weekend is very important with our last two home games against OUA East opponents. Queen’s is always difficult to play and is a very disciplined and well coached team. They cause problems with their motion offence and stingy defence.”
Campbell is wary of Gaels forward Mitchell Leger who is averaging 21 points and 11 rebounds per game said containing him will be key to victory.
Against RMC, the Paladins depth will likely be an issue in staying close with the host Mustangs - their offence is averaging under 61 points per game while the defence is allowing over 95.
Meanwhile Western’s women just play once this weekend after RMC forfeited both their weekend games against Western and Windsor.
Western enters the weekend with a 4-1 record and a win over Queen’s would move them to 5-1. The Mustangs defeated the Gaels at the Laval pre-season tournament.
But that was pre-season, according to head coach Steph Barrie, who knows it will be a more challenging contest on Nov. 21.
“Queen’s has been playing very well of late,” Barrie said. “They have improved since we saw them in pre-season. They were missing (Katie) Guthrie and we were missing (Lauren) Parkes, so this game will see two different teams than those which met in October.”
Barrie said Guthrie and Brittany Moore are “a very dangerous 1-2 punch” for the Gaels.
“Our defence is going to have to step up to the challenge on Saturday and we are going to have to improve our rebounding,” Barrie said.
The Mustangs defeated Queen’s 84-69 in preseason play on Oct. 24, led by Katelyn Leddy’s 13 rebounds and Rebecca Moss’s 22 points.
The Mustangs return home on Jan. 9, 2010 against Wilfrid Laurier. To get your seats, click the tickets tab and order online at westernmustangs.ca.
CIS Top 10 - Men’s Basketball
(reg. season record)/(votes–1st-place votes)/(previous ranking)
1. Carleton (4-0) / 502 points (41) / (1)
2. UBC (3-0) / 460 (1) / (2)
3. Calgary (6-0) / 424 / (3)
4. Dalhousie (3-0) / 371 / (5)
5. McMaster (3-1) / 319 / (4)
6. Windsor (3-1) / 264 / (6)
7. Toronto (2-2) / 218 / (8)
8. Cape Breton (1-1) / 196 / (9)
9. St. Francis Xavier (2-0) / 158 / (10)
10. Trinity Western (3-1) / 112 / (NR)
Other teams receiving votes: Saskatchewan (105), Lakehead (51), Simon Fraser (44), Laval (9),
Acadia (8).
CIS Top 10 - Women’s Basketball
(reg. season record)/(votes–1st-place votes)/(previous ranking)
1. Simon Fraser (5-0) / 492 points (41) / (1)
2. Windsor (4-0) / 451 / (3)
3. Regina (3-1) / 397 /(4)
4. Saskatchewan (2-2) / 331 / (2)
5. Laval (2-0) / 325 / (6)
6. Victoria (1-2) / 308 / (5)
7. Bishop’s (1-0) / 245 / (7)
8. Cape Breton (3-0) / 199 / (8)
9. Alberta (5-1) / 194 / (10)
10. UBC (2-2) / 107 / (NR)
Other teams receiving votes: Memorial (64), Calgary (35), Brock (22), Acadia (16),
Saint Mary’s (4).
