The UNBC basketball teams will play their final home games of the season tonight and Saturday at the Northern Sport Centre.
The Timberwolves - women and men - will tip off against the Mount Royal University Cougars of Calgary. Game times are 6 and 8 tonight, and 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, with the women getting things started both nights.
The UNBC women take a 2-14 record into the doubleheader, while the Mount Royal women sit at 1-15. The teams occupy the bottom two spots in Canada West's six-team Explorer Division. One club will snap a long losing streak tonight, as the Timberwolves have dropped five games in a row and the Cougars have suffered eight consecutive defeats.
When the T-wolves and Cougars met earlier this season in Calgary, UNBC won the first game 67-60 and Mount Royal took the second one 76-69.
For both of those contests, UNBC had rookie sensation Maria Mongomo in the lineup. She drained 22 points in the win and 14 in the loss but has since returned home to Spain because of paperwork/visa issues. At the time of her departure, Mongomo - a point guard - was third in Canada West scoring with an average of 17.5 points per game.
In men's action, UNBC (3-13) has lost its past nine games and is sixth and last in the Explorer Division. Fifth-place Mount Royal (6-10) split a two-game set with the visiting MacEwan University Griffins last weekend.
In the previous games between the T-wolves and Cougars this season, UNBC picked up a 77-73 victory and then lost 88-73.
The Timberwolves have been playing without fifth-year point guard Billy Cheng, who sustained a season-ending knee injury in a game against the Fraser Valley Cascades Jan. 16 in Abbotsford.
On Saturday night, in between games, Cheng and fellow graduating player Colin Plumb will be recognized for their contributions to the UNBC basketball program.
Stewart will kick for hometown team
Owen Stewart, a midfielder from Prince George, has committed to the UNBC men's soccer team for next season. Stewart becomes the first player recruited by head coach Steve Simonson, whose interim tag was removed in December.
"Owen is a talented and passionate young player," Simonson said. "He clearly loves the game and has a really great mindset towards his performances.
"He is exactly the type of young player that I want in this program."
Stewart is in his Grade 12 year at Duchess Park secondary school. As a member of the Condors this past season, he was named the team's most valuable player.
Stewart's older brother, Liam, already suits up for UNBC.
