The UNBC Timberwolves will look to end a five-game losing streak when they take on the UBC Okanagan Heat tonight at the Northern Sport Centre.
In dropping five consecutive decisions, the UNBC men's basketball team has slipped into last place in the six-team Canada West Explorer Division. UNBC (3-9) must finish no worse than third in the division to qualify for playoffs and has eight regular-season games left to accomplish that feat.
Based on the standings alone, grabbing a post-season berth will be tough. For the Timberwolves, the task will be even more challenging because they'll be playing without starting point guard Billy Cheng, who injured a knee last weekend and is likely done for the season.
On the flip side of the coin, the three teams directly above UNBC in the standings all have 5-7 records as they head into weekend action so the T-wolves aren't far off the pace. One of those 5-7 clubs is the Heat.
Earlier this season, the Timberwolves and Heat split a doubleheader in Kelowna. On Nov. 13, UNBC prevailed 64-48. The next night, UBCO bounced back with a 78-57 victory.
One of the key players in the Heat lineup is Aldrich Berrios, a second-year guard from Burnaby. The six-foot-one Berrios leads UBCO in scoring with an average of 15.1 points per game. Another player to watch for is fourth-year guard Mitch Goodwin, who knocked down 26 points in a pair of losses last weekend to the host Mount Royal University Cougars of Calgary.
For the Timberwolves, fourth-year guard Rhys Elliott is the guy who normally sparks the offence. Currently, Elliott is third overall in Canada West scoring with an average of 20 points per contest.
The Heat and T-wolves will tip off at 8 p.m. The game will be preceded by the UBCO and UNBC women, who will be on the floor at 6 p.m.
The female Timberwolves have posted a 2-10 record so far this season but did pick up one of those victories last weekend in Abbotsford against the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades (63-47).
Against the Heat, UNBC will be seeking its first home-court victory of 2015-16. The T-wolves, however, will have to be sharp because UBCO is one of the better clubs in the Explorer Division. With an 8-3 mark, the Heat is tied for second place with Thompson Rivers University. MacEwan University leads the pack with a 9-3 record.
Offensively, UBCO tends to score by committee. The team's leading point producer is fourth-year guard Emily Kanester, who is averaging 10.7 points per outing. Within Canada West, she ranks just 37th overall in scoring average.
For UNBC, meanwhile, rookie guard Maria Mongomo is an impressive third in Canada West scoring with an average of 17.5 points per contest.
The UNBC and UBCO teams will clash again on Saturday. Game times at the NSC are 5 p.m. (women) and 7 p.m. (men).
