VANCOUVER - The No. 5 UBC Thunderbirds (15-5) close out their regular season schedule at War Memorial Gym this weekend against the No. 9 Brandon Bobcats (13-7) in a battle between the third and fourth place teams in the Canada West. While UBC will host a first round quarter-finals series, this weekend will determine the final playoff standings for a competitive conference - including whether Brandon will host in the first round or start on the road.
Game one gets underway at 4:30 p.m. PT on Friday, February 14, with the regular season finale - and senior night - set for Saturday, February 15, at 7:30 p.m. PT.
Heading into his final regular season weekend, graduating senior - and team captain - Jordan Deshane is sixth in the Canada West for block assists (53) and total blocks (61) while leading the T-Birds in both categories. The veteran Surrey, B.C. product is the only Thunderbird who has played in all 70 sets of action this season through 20 matches.
The 'Birds and Bobcats met in exhibition action back on October 3, 2019, when Brandon earned a 3-1 win at War Memorial Gym, but the Bobcats started 2020 with a six-match losing streak that they finally snapped a week ago. UBC has won 14 of their last 16 matches and are rounding into form as the playoffs approach.
Last Action
The 'Birds swept their series with the UBC Okanagan Heat (2-18) in Kelowna last weekend, winning 3-1 and 3-0 to get back to their winning ways. In their first match, Coltyn Liu totalled 10 kills with five aces and eight digs. Matt Neaves put up 13 kills with six digs, while Deshane added 10 kills with six blocks. On night two, Zarley Zalusky made his debut with five kills and five blocks to go along with three digs and an ace. Danny Aspenlieder had 10 kills and Michael Dowhaniuk posted 15 kills and four digs in the straight-sets victory.
Brandon swept the Manitoba Bisons (7-13), 3-0 and 3-0, for their first two wins of the calendar year. Standout left side Elliott Viles tallied 32 kills with just nine errors and four service aces through six sets for the Bobcats as they look to clinch a top-four finish come playoff time.
Coach's Take
"We're excited at the prospect of closing out the regular season against one of the top teams in the country," said UBC head coach Mike Hawkins. "In my mind, it's the ideal challenge before we ready ourselves for a long playoff run. I'm hoping, once Brandon makes their push during these matches, we're able to stay true to the style and identity that we play with that has led us to success this season. We expect to bring an aggressive mindset to these matches this weekend."
UBC knows they'll be hosting a quarter-final series to open the postseason, and Hawkins recognizes the importance of home court advantage at such a crucial stage of the season
"Not only are you playing in the familiar environment that you train in and get to play in front of family and friends, the reduced time and energy spent traveling plays a big role as we get to the end of the season," said Hawkins. "Those miles and and nights spent in hotels really adds up. For our student-athletes, it also means more time spent in the classroom to ensure they're being successful there as well as on the court."
