For the UNBC Timberwolves, the playoff picture will come into focus in the next four games. The key stretch of their schedule starts tonight with a home date against the University of Victoria Vikes.
The Timberwolves, a second-year entry in Canada West women's basketball, will tip off against the Vikes tonight and Saturday (6 p.m.) at the Northern Sport Centre. Currently, the T-wolves (4-8) are fifth in the Pacific Division and the Vikes (7-5) are fourth. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams will move on to playoffs, so the Timberwolves could do themselves a huge favour at the expense of the Vikes this weekend.
Next Friday and Saturday in Vancouver, the UNBC women will meet another team they are chasing for a playoff spot, the 7-5 UBC Thunderbirds. The T-birds currently hold third spot in the division standings but play the last-place Mount Royal Cougars of Calgary this weekend.
In the Vikes, the T-wolves will be facing a team that loves playing away from home. UVic has gone 5-1 on the road this season, while UNBC is only 2-4 in its own gym.
Defensively, the Timberwolves will have to pay attention to fourth-year forward Jessica Renfrew, who is averaging 13 points per game, a number that has her 14th in Canada West scoring.
UNBC is being led by fifth-year guard/forward Mercedes Van Koughnett, who is ninth in the conference with an average of 15.3 points per contest.
The UNBC men's basketball team will also be in action tonight and Saturday (8 p.m.) against UVic. The seventh-place Timberwolves (4-8) will be in tough against the Vikes, who sit first in the Pacific Division with a 10-2 record. Nationally, the Vikes are ranked fifth.
The T-wolves, coming off a 126-120 triple-overtime loss to the Lethbridge Pronghorns last Saturday, will look for offence from guys like fifth-year forward Charles Barton, who is 12th in conference scoring with an average of 15.5 points per game. Terrell Evans, a fifth-year guard/forward, leads UVic with an average of 17.8 points per game, sixth in Canada West.
