Statistically, the season has been an exercise in perfection.
For the UNBC Northern Timberwolves women's basketball team, a 10-0 record in the PACWEST Athletic Association indicates that a lot of things have gone right for a highly-skilled, veteran-laden club. The biggest scare for the Timberwolves came on Nov. 26 in North Vancouver when they needed overtime to sneak past the Capilano University Blues 78-77.
On Friday at 6 p.m. the Timberwolves and Blues will step onto the court at the Northern Sport Centre for a much-anticipated rematch. UNBC head coach Loralyn Murdoch respects the abilities of the Blues but expects her own players to answer the challenge.
"We've got our work cut out for us," Murdoch said. "[The Blues] have got some big bigs and they've got probably the best shooter in our conference. We know what they've got and we know what we're capable of doing so it's going to be a matter of execution.
"We're their only game of the weekend so they've had a full week to prepare just for us and they'll be out for blood, for sure."
The Blues, with the likes of six-foot-three Amber Pederson and six-foot-one Hayley Boulier, are huge under the hoop. Their deadliest shooter, the one Murdoch considers among the most skilled in the league, is Jenna Ralston. The five-foot-10 Ralston is in her fifth and final year of playing eligibility and is leading the PACWEST in average points per game at 19.27. Ralston is especially dangerous from three-point territory so the T-wolves will have to keep her under close watch.
"We have to match up a little bit with Jenna," Murdoch said. "I can't put my small guards on her because she'll just shoot over them. We also have to think about any kind of switching situation and then all their guards penetrate very, very well. The last time we played them we got into some foul trouble so we have to be smarter -- play good team defence and be a lot smarter."
The Blues take a 9-2 record into Friday's game. The T-wolves are ranked No. 3 in the country, while the Blues are listed at No. 11.
The Timberwolves had a break in their schedule this past weekend and that was a good thing because it gave a couple team members a chance to recover from injuries. Forward Kady Dandeneau suffered a broken nose on Jan. 20 during an 85-38 road win against Douglas College and point guard Jenn Knibbs sustained a charley horse the next night against Columbia Bible College, a game which UNBC won 116-56. Both players have been back at practice this week.
On Saturday night (6 p.m., NSC) the T-wolves will face the Squamish-based Quest University Kermodes (7-4). That game will be the final home contest for three graduating UNBC players, Jennifer Clyne, Erin Beckett and Maria Neumann.
The Quest head coach is former UNBC men's assistant Mike Woollard.
