After splitting their first two games of the 2012 exhibition season on home court last weekend the Western Mustangs women’s basketball team takes to the road this weekend for the HoopFest Tournament hosted by the Alberta Pandas.
 
Western gets thing started Friday night taking on the host Pandas. The Pandas lost a number of key players from last season’s team that made it to the Canada West playoffs. With the departure of guards Nicole Clarke, Sarah Binns, and Jill Verhesen, look for the Pandas to focus on their post play. Fifth-year senior Anneka Bakker should feature heavily in Alberta’s offence on Friday and is coming earning tournament all-star honours at UNB’s Helen Campbell Tournament at the end of September.
 
Saturday sees Western begin the day’s action taking on the UBC Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds made it all the way to the CIS semi-finals last season falling to the eventual champion Windsor Lancers, who captured their second straight Bronze Baby trophy. The Thunderbirds are led by third-year guard Kris Young who finished first amongst Thunderbird scorers last season, scoring 458 points to average 14.8 per game. UBC will be counting on Young to provide much of the scoring this season as two of their top three scorers have moved on from the team.
 
Finally on Sunday the tournament’s two OUA squads go head to head as Western plays the Brock Badgers. This year’s Badgers team is led by Nicole Rosenkranz who averaged 13.9 points per game last season to lead the team. Sophmore guard Kayla Santilli has performed well in the pre-season including scoring double digits in the team's past two contests. Brock enters the tournament with a 3-3 pre-season record, and on a bit of a roll with consecutive victories over Toronto and McMaster.
 
Following the tournament the Mustangs return home to get set for the Leslie Petter Memorial Game against the Mount Royal Cougars on Friday, October 26 at Medway High School. Game time  is set for 7:00 p.m.