VANCOUVER – 62 days.
 
That's how long it will have been since the UBC Thunderbirds (6-4) last played at home, when they finally take the court again at War Memorial Gym on Friday, January 9. That's the first of two straight at home against the Pacific Division-leading Trinity Western Spartans (10-2), in the first games for both teams after over a month off over the winter break.
 
"I don't think anybody in Canada has ever solved the December issue," remarked UBC head coach Dave Taylor. "Everybody's tried every different thing. The team that's going to come out and hit shots and not play as sloppy is going to win."
 
Friday's game is also UBC's annual Shoot for the Cure Night, where the Thunderbirds help raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. The Shoot for the Cure campaign began in 2007 and has raised more than $2 million across U SPORTS since its inception.
 
There will be a booth inside War Memorial Gym for cash donations at the game, and online donations are accepted until January 30. For online donations, every $5 donated through the UBC Shoot for the Cure link counts as one entry into a prize raffle. Prizes include a UBC Basketball Nike jacket, a free night's stay at the Holiday Inn Downtown Vancouver, and a Nori gift card.
 

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After the T-Birds' last home game (a 70-51 win over UBC Okanagan) their conference record stood at 5-1. After that it was a tough four-game road trip before the break, with a pair of losses to the No. 1 nationally-ranked Saskatchewan Huskies, before splitting a weekend series against the Heat in Kelowna.
 
As the Thunderbirds aim to get back on the type of roll they had to begin the year, they'll look to Olivia Weekes to try and maintain the level of form she's had so far this campaign. The fifth-year senior leads the team in both points (16.6 per game) and rebounds (8.1), sitting fifth in the conference in scoring with double the points of anyone else on the team.
 
"She's been exactly as advertised," said Taylor on the Winnipeg native. "She can score, she can rebound, she's our key piece for our team. The trick now is we've got to get everybody to be playing well if we're going to be successful.
 
"We've got to find some easier ways to score, not just in the half court, and that involves via turnovers, via transition. And then we've got to be locked in on defence with rebounding and guarding the three-point line. It's not reinventing the wheel – our issue this year has been consistency…that's the key to me, is being more consistent."
 
The Spartans lead the Pacific Division to begin 2026, and whoever gets that top seed will receive a massive boost in the form of home court advantage throughout the Canada West playoffs. That makes this weekend's game all the more important, as the T-Birds have the opportunity to just about draw even with their local rivals in the standings if they were to win both games.


 
While Trinity Western has just two losses this season, one of them came in their first meeting against UBC back on October 25, during the opening weekend of conference play. The T-Birds prevailed on the road in Langley 62-50 in a defensive slugfest, a good achievement considering the Spartans rank fifth in the conference in scoring at 66.5 points per game.
 
"They're very disciplined, they run really good offence and they punish you on your mistakes," analyzed Taylor. "They've got a bunch of people who can score, and score from the three-point line, so the defence is going to be very important."
 
The Spartans are led by the backcourt duo of Cassidy Buchanan (averaging 14.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists) and Colette Van der Hoven (12.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists). Buchanan torched the T-Birds with a career-high 28 points on 12-19 shooting in their October clash, and will likely be at the top of the scouting report for the blue and gold.
 
After this weekend, the Thunderbirds will head back out on the road for six of the final eight games of the regular season. They'll look to start the new year with a bang with opening tip set for 5:30 p.m. (PT) on Friday. The rematch will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, inside War Memorial Gym.
 
Tickets are available online with both games also broadcast live and on demand on Canada West TV. Click here to donate to Shoot for the Cure and have the chance to win some sweet prizes!