VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds women's basketball team is in Brandon, Man., this weekend for a crucial Friday-Saturday doubleheader against the Bobcats that will go a long way in determining which teams will pick up the final berths to the Canada West women's basketball playoffs.
 
Friday's matchup will begin at 4 p.m. (PT), and Saturday's game will tip off at 3 p.m. (PT), both at Brandon's Healthy Living Centre.
 
There are five Pioneer Division teams battling for three remaining playoff spots. Victoria is 7-11 with two games left on its schedule, while UBC, Brandon and Winnipeg are all tied at 6-10 with four contests to go, while Trinity Western is 4-12.
 
The Thunderbirds control their own destiny as they will finish the 2015-16 regular season campaign with the two games this weekend at Brandon, before returning home to face Winnipeg.
 
After getting a week off, UBC is back on the road after two close losses at Victoria two weeks ago. The team has dropped four games in a row, but three of them have been by single digits, including two by a lone possession.
 
Fifth-year guard Diana Lee (North Vancouver) led UBC in scoring in both games at Victoria, notching 21 on Friday and 17 on Saturday.
 
Forward Kara Spotton (Fort Collins, Colo.) leads the team offensively for the season, with an average of 17.1 points a game in Canada West outings. That puts her fourth in the conference scoring race. She's also the league leader in points per 40 minutes, with an average of 25.7.
 
Brandon guard Keisha Cox is just behind Spotton in scoring, as she records 17.0 points per game. The Bobcats suffered two blowout losses at No. 1 Saskatchewan last weekend.

Statistically, UBC and Brandon closely matched in both offensive and defensive categories.
 
The T-Birds score 65.4 points (10th in the Canada West) and give up 63.4 per game (ninth), while on average, the Bobcats put up 65.7 (ninth) and surrender 70.6 (10th).
 
Brandon (39.3 per cent) and UBC (40.5 per cent) are 11th and 12th, respectively, in opponents' field goal percentage.