Matchup

One of the hottest teams in the country will take their high-flying act out to Langley, BC this weekend, as the No. 2-ranked UBC Thunderbirds men's basketball team (24-2, 17-1) is set to take on their crosstown rivals, the Trinity Western Spartans (3-15, 3-15), in a back-to-back set.

In the final weekend of Canada West regular season play, the 'Birds and Spartans will first clash on Friday, February 10 and follow that up with a rematch on Saturday, February 11. Both games will tip off at 7:00 p.m. (PT) in the Langley Events Centre.

Last Action

Having broken the 120-point plateau in two of their past four contests, a feat no other Kevin Hanson-coached Thunderbirds team has accomplished, it's safe to say that the T-Birds are on an impressive run right now.



After a 127-62 win over Brandon two weeks back, the 'Birds followed that up with similarly dominant 123-75 win over the UNBC Timberwolves last Friday. Conor Morgan was electric, as the U Sports' scoring leader torched the Timberwolves for 36 points on 23 shots from the field in just 26 minutes of work, while sophomore guard Taylor Browne lit it up from downtown, going 4-of-6 from distance en route to a career-high 20 points.

The 'Birds closed out the sweep with a 109-61 drubbing of the Timberwolves the next day, extending their current win streak to nine games.

By the Numbers

66.7 – Last Friday saw the 'Birds do their damage in the most efficient of ways – UBC shot a season-high 66.7% from the field as a team, making 48-of-72 shots. The onslaught was a full 11% higher than their previous best this season in Canada West play, as they hit on 34-of-61 (55.7%) in a 96-49 win over UBC Okanagan on December 3.

92.9 – With their recent offensive surge, the T-Birds have soared to the top of the U Sports scoring charts at a cool 92.9 points-per-game. UBC is more than two points clear of the second-ranked Carleton Ravens (90.6).

Players to Watch

Conor Morgan – After posting a combined 56 points, 19 rebounds, five steals, and three blocks over two games against UNBC, the senior forward was named the U Sports Male Athlete of the Week. At this point, Morgan is a walking highlight reel who is producing at a MVP-caliber level. Week in and week out, he's worth the price of admission.



Phil Jalalpoor – The German guard has provided invaluable secondary scoring this season, with averages of 7.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per contest. Jalalpoor set season-highs in boards (7) and assists (8) against the Timberwolves last Saturday.