'Birds enter post-season with championship aspirations

Matchup

After finishing fifth overall at the 2016 CIS National Championships, the UBC Thunderbirds men's basketball team's (26-2, 19-1) quest begins anew this week, as the 'Birds open their 2017 Canada West Playoff schedule with a best-of-three quarterfinal series against the Manitoba Bisons (14-8, 12-8).

Despite ending the regular season as the second-ranked team in the U Sports Top-10 national rankings, the T-Birds enter the conference playoffs as the no. 4 seed, with the Bisons coming in at no. 5.

Calling all T-Birds fans! Be there this Thursday, 7pm & cheer on #UBC as they begin their playoff run!
Tickets: https://t.co/OrH36evDCx pic.twitter.com/1nSi2bOJcz
— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) February 21, 2017

With the entire series being played at War Memorial Gym, the first contest between UBC and Manitoba will get underway this Thursday, February 23. The second contest will take place on Friday, February 24, while the third (if necessary) will be held on Saturday, February 25. All three games are scheduled to tip-off at 7:00 p.m. (PT) on their respective nights.

Last Action

The 'Birds ripped through Canada West to end the regular season, closing the year on an 11-game win streak. That stretch saw the Thunderbirds post 100+ points in five games, twice exceeding the vaunted 120-point plateau.

Their final two games were a microcosm of the T-Birds' year. Sweeping the Trinity Western Spartans, UBC scored 87-67 and 104-72 wins over their regional rivals, dominating on both ends of the court.

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With Conor Morgan getting a well-deserved rest, fifth-year guard Jordan Jensen-Whyte took over in all facets of the game, going off for a combined 41 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, and six steals over the back-to-back set.

By the Numbers

43.1 – Amidst all their offensive exploits, an underrated aspect of the T-Birds' game is their work on the glass. At 43.1 rebounds-per-game, the 'Birds trail only the Alberta Golden Bears (43.6) across all of U Sports. In addition, UBC is one of only three teams to be top-10 in both offensive (seventh - 12.9) and defensive rebounds (third – 30.3), alongside Saskatchewan and Brock.

549 – The T-Birds physicality also comes to the forefront in drawing calls, as UBC has gone to the line 549 times this season, the most of any team in the country. The 'Birds are also converting on those hard-earned fouls, as their 399 made free throws were 35 more than the second-ranked Calgary Dinos (364).

Players to Watch

Isaiah Familia – Fresh off a 29-minute, 20-point performance in the regular season finale against Trinity Western (both career highs), the rookie guard could be one of the T-Birds' X-factors heading into the post-season. Familia also finished with a 2.9 assist-to-turnover ratio in the regular season, showing off the smart decision-making that has allowed head coach Kevin Hanson to lean on him as a true freshman.

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Luka Zaharijevic – With more playing time late in the season, the fourth-year Zaharijevic took full advantage of the opportunity, hitting double digits in scoring four times over the T-Birds' final six games. The bruising forward was also one of the most efficient shooters in the country, finishing atop the Canada West, and third in U Sports, with a 60.2% clip from the field (56-of-93).

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Players Mentioned

#4 Isaiah Familia: G; 6' 2"; 1st

#6 Jordan Jensen-Whyte: G; 6' 6"; 5th

#15 Luka Zaharijevic: F; 6' 7"; 4th

#9 Conor Morgan: G/F; 6' 9"; 4th

Players Mentioned

#4 Isaiah Familia
: 6' 2"; 1st
: G

#6 Jordan Jensen-Whyte
: 6' 6"; 5th
: G

#15 Luka Zaharijevic
: 6' 7"; 4th
: F

#9 Conor Morgan
: 6' 9"; 4th
: G/F