It was a superb first half of the season for the UBC Thunderbirds, who enter 2025 as the top team in Canada West at 8-1 and ranked #5 in the country. They begin the new year with four straight home games, including two this weekend against first Thompson Rivers and then UNBC.

"This term always goes by really quickly," said Thunderbirds head coach Isabel Ormond. "You have a few weekends of conference play and then it's into playoffs, and for us hosting nationals. There's a lot of excitement and energy coming into it, the challenge is just putting that into the right place – making sure you're focused and disciplined and competitive in the areas that you need to be."

The T-Birds have been great on both ends of the court so far this season, ranking second in Canada West in scoring (75 points per game) and third in scoring defence (55 points allowed per game). On the offensive end, UBC leads the conference in field goal percentage (42%), offensive rebounds (19 per game) and fouls drawn (23 per game).

Rookie Keira Daly sits second in the conference in scoring at 17 points per game, although she missed the final three games of the first term. Olivia Weekes (14 PPG) and Mona Berlitz (13.5 PPG) both rank just outside the top ten in scoring.



Defensively, the T-Birds have held their opponents under 60 points in all but one game they've played so far this season. Their defensive effort is a key part of the team's identity and how they've been able to get the results they have to this point.

"We're trying to create some chaos, trying to disrupt what the other team is looking to do," added Ormond. "We have a lot of depth…so really using that to our advantage to where we can keep that up for 40 minutes."

Two different foes arrive at War Memorial Gym this weekend. The T-Birds have already beaten TRU twice this season, both on the road in Kamloops back in November. The WolfPack are still searching for their first victory of the season, and haven't won in Vancouver since 2018.

The Timberwolves, meanwhile, are off to a 3-5 start. This is the first of three meetings between the two sides this campaign, with the other two coming in Prince George on the final weekend of the regular season. Sveta Boykova averages nearly a double-double for UNBC at 14.5 points and nine rebounds per game.

Taking on different teams on back-to-back days is an added challenge in terms of scouting and game preparation, but Ormond believes it'll be a benefit for their group going forward.

"I see it as a good challenge that we get some practice doing this in-season for what you know is playoffs and what you know is going to be nationals, because ideally you're playing three teams in four days so you kind of have to work through those spaces pretty quickly."
 

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Friday's game is also the annual Shoot for the Cure Night, where the Thunderbirds help raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. There will be a place to give cash donations at the game, and online donations are accepted for the entire month on the Shoot for the Cure fundraising page.

The clash with TRU begins at 5:30 p.m. (PT) on Friday, followed by Saturday's game against UNBC at 4:00 p.m. (PT).