Need to Know

The UBC Thunderbirds women's basketball team (7-11, 7th in Pioneer Division,) will face the Winnipeg Wesmen (8-10, 5th in in Pioneer Division) in a back-to-back set of games this weekend, a set that will serve as the regular season finale for both sides.
 
The first contest of the series is set to start at 6:00 p.m. (PT) on Friday, February 19, and the second game between the 'Birds and Wesmen is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. (PT) on Saturday, February 20. Both games will be played at War Memorial Gym.
 

Last Week –

The T-Birds earned a split against the Brandon Bobcats, falling 71-63 in the series opener before coming back strong with a 72-60 win.
 

By The Numbers -

2 – The 'Birds have had two stretches where they've won consecutive games this season – back-to-back wins against the Trinity Western Spartans in November and a four-game stretch that saw the Blue and Gold get two wins over Lethbridge and Manitoba back in January.
 
8 – Four of the T-Birds' last five losses have come by margins of eight or less points, and two of them came by a single possession or less.
 
7 – The 'Birds will need a sweep this weekend to guarantee that they stay ahead of the Victoria Vikes (who are set to take on the Bobcats this weekend) for the seventh and final playoff spot in the Pioneer division.
 

The Matchup  

Last season, the 'Birds and Wesmen played to a split in Winnipeg. The T-Birds fell 69-62 in the first game of series, then rebounded with a tight 50-48 decision of their own.

Both teams have been in 'must win' territory down the stretch and are only seperated by one win in the Canada West standings. For UBC, seniors Diana Lee (North Vancouver, B.C.) and Adrienne Parkin (Vancouver) will be honored Saturday for their service to the 'Blue and Gold'. These two will have extra motivation to get a win in the last regular season home games of their Thunderbird careers. Winnipeg leans heavily on their two fourth year guards Megan Noonan and Kerri Kuzbyt for both scoring and leadership. With the two teams fighting for their playoff lives and seeding, expect heated contests both nights.
 

Coach's Take

"We're happy to be home for these games that carry huge importance for the post season," says UBC head coach Deb Huband. "Winnipeg is a team that has a physical style of play which makes them a difficult opponent that we don't typically see week to week. Making sure our athletes know our game plan is critical. They will be coming at us fast and coming at us hard."