The Matchup

 
The second season starts for the UBC Thunderbirds (16-8) this weekend, as the 'Birds will square off with the Brandon Bobcats (14-10) for the second time in a week.
 
The 'Birds and Bobcats represent the fourth and fifth seeds in the tough Canada West conference. The match-up is a best of three series.


 
The two teams begin festivities Friday, March 3 at 8pm. Saturday, March 4's game is when the fun really begins, as Shaw Vancouver will be at War Memorial Gym to broadcast the match live across the region. First serve for that one goes at 7pm.
 
If necessary the teams will play Sunday, March 5 at 4pm.
 

Last Action

 
The two teams met on the final weekend of the regular season and played to a two-match split.
 
The 'Birds won a tough, five-set marathon on Friday night before dropping Saturday's match in straight sets.
 
In the Saturday night game, with a home court playoff game already clinched, UBC head coach Kerry MacDonald rested star players Irvan Brar, Mat Guidi and Byron Keturakis.
 

By the Numbers

 
918 – the whopping number of assists Keturakis put up in 2016-17. The total put the third-year setter at the number two position in all of U Sports.
 
.800 – UBC's winning percentage since dropping a pair of matches in Manitoba in mid-January. The 'Birds have been rolling in the latter part of the regular season and seem poised for a playoff run.
 

Players To Watch

 
Irvan Brar – the fourth year Surrey, BC native is always a key in the 'Birds attack, leading the team in kills in 2016-17 (317). If Brar is at his 'Bouncing' best, UBC is in good shape against Brandon.


 
Joel Regehr - the 'Birds big middle had seven blocks in the playoff clinching win over Brandon. A net presence like that always makes for good results.
 

Quotable

 
UBC head coach Kerry MacDonald likes the match-up against Brandon this weekend.


 
"I think we're two evenly matched teams with similar strengths and similar weaknesses," says MacDonald. "It's definitely interesting playing the same team as last weekend. This is a team we now know very well and hopefully that will play out in our favour."