The UNBC Timberwolves head into the second half of the U Sports Canada West women's basketball season this weekend with a degree of certainty.
They know if they want to make the playoffs for a fourth straight season, they'll have to win more often than they did in their first 10 games this season.
The T-wolves (3-7, 13th overall in Canada West) are one spot lower in the standings than they need to be when the regular season ends Feb. 8.
To get invited to that top-12 postseason party they know they're going to have emerge from those 10 remaining games in the second half with a winning record, and they might have to do that without the services of a couple veterans.
Heading into this weekend's games at the Northern Sport Centre against the Fraser Valley Cascades (6-4, sixth in Canada West) the T-wolves will be without guard Alina Shakirova and forward Cevanna Carlson, both injured Saturday in UNBC's 67-58 road loss to the Calgary Dinos.
While that was a crushing blow after a strong start against the nationally-ranked Dinos which leaves UNBC short-staffed this weekend against one of the best teams in the league, the T-wolves can take some consolation in the fact they're nearly over the toughest part of their schedule.
After they host the Cascades in the two-game set Friday and Saturday the next eight games for the T-wolves are all against teams which currently have losing records. Their list of upcoming opponents includes UBC-Okanagan (1-11), Brandon (1-9), Regina (5-7) and MacEwan (0-11).
“After the injuries we faced (last) weekend with Cevanna and Alina, who play key roles and big minutes, it’s going to be important that everyone be ready to step into play," said T-wolves forward Emma vanBruinessen.
"Both the bench and the starters are going to have put up additional points that both players would normally average. Each game is key if we plan to make it to the playoffs, and every game is going to need to be a team effort. A lot of teams are similarly ranked right now in terms of win/loss ratio and each game is going to be crucial in our next five weekends.”
The native of Leduc, Alta., came to UNBC this season after three seasons in the Alberta College Athletic Association with the University of Alberta-Augustana, where she was a top-five rebounder in the league last season. She continues in that role as a five-foot-11 post and ranks in the top-10 in Canada West, averaging 7.6 rebounds per game. She also had eight blocks in nine games, averaging 24.4 minutes per game.
VanBruinessen knows it will be a tall order knocking off the Cascades and trying to stop forward Taylor Claggett, who leads Fraser Valley, averaging 19.4 points (second in Canada West), 9.5 rebounds (fourth in CW) and four assists (third in CW). Claggett needs to sink just four free throws to break the all-time Canada West record of 455 held by Sarah Crooks, who played for the Saskatchewan Huskies.
"Tough defense will be key as well as preventing turnovers, and unnecessary fouls," said vanBruinessen. "We were competitive with UBC so there is no reason we can’t be competitive with UFV and pull out some wins.”
Fifth-year UNBC guard Maria Mongomo is closing in on Vasiliki Louka as the T-wolves' career scoring leader, needing just 54 points to break Louka's all-time mark of 1,498. Mongomo needs just three treys to reach 150 in her five-year career. Fourth-year UNBC forward is just 21 points shy of 1,000 for her university career, which would put her in elite company with Louka, Mongomo and Mercedes vanKoughnett.
Friday's women's game tips off at 6 p.m., followed by the men's game at 8 p.m.
On Saturday the women start at 5 p.m. and the men start at 7 p.m.
