CIS Hoops.ca

Before we introduce this week's CISHOOPS.CA Top 10, here is a smattering off articles from this weekend's games:

Tremendous piece by James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail on Brandon Head Coach Barnaby Craddock. The Globe is planning extensive coverage on a weekly basis right up through the Final 8 - good for one of our Canadian national daily newspapers to increase its coverage of our sport and thanks to James for pointing out this article to us Craddock Filling Big Shoes

Excellent recap of yesterday's X at UPEI game from the PEI Guardian in which the Panthers rallied from 8 points down with 8 minutes to play and took the lead for good on a three-pointer by 6'9" fifth-year senior Doug McKinney McKinney Drains Dramatic Three-Pointer and also BOX SCORE

The young Laurier Golden Hawks had probably their sweetest win of the season on Seniors Day in defeating McMaster. This young team appears to be growing up in a hurry as the Waterloo Record reports Waterloo Record: Laurier over Mac . As well, we get the Hamilton perspective on Mac/Laurier from Larry Moko of the Hamilton Spectator Mac Finds Out Stats Don't Lie

The Brock Badgers have been hot recently and are in a position for the OUA West pennant. Brock defeated Waterloo at home on the weekend as Jim Wallace from the St. Catharines Standard reports Badgers Make Most of Home Court Advantage

A report from the Guelph Mercury on the Gryphons women's and men's games on Saturday Guelph vs. Lakehead Story

Brock women's team had a big day on Saturday Big Day for Badgers Seniors

Here is a nice recap of Saturday's games in Atlantic Canada, both women and men Halifax Daily News report

Two noteable Ontario high school tournaments took place on the weekend including the prestiguous All-Ontario Catholic tournament, an annual event in St. Catharines. The Standard has the full story All-Ontario Catholic Review Also, the Henry Carr Crusaders, one of Canada's top high school teams, came back to win a big tournament in London over the weekend Crusaders Rally to Win Forest City

For another Top 10 view, here is the Cheers Index courtesy of Bob Adams CIS site Cheers RPI Feb. 11th, 2007

CISHOOPS.CA CANADIAN UNIVERSITY CIS TOP 10 for week of 12 February 2007

#1 Brandon (20-2 in Canada West, 27-3 vs. CIS overall) (cishoops.ca #1 ranked last week): THIS PAST WEEK: a pair of wins against Winnipeg (9-13, 14-15) 84-75 and 85-76. UPDATE: Winners of 13 in a row, although the last 8 have been against sub .500 competition, winners of Canada West Great Plains regular season crown, the Bobcats await the winner of next weekend's Winnipeg at Regina series. Brandon will play all remaining games prior to the Nationals at home including the Best-of-3 Great Plains division final and, if they qualify, the Canada West Final Four, this year hosted by the Great Plains division champion. Bobcats have 3 wins against Top 10 competition: a pair of home wins two weeks ago against UBC and Victoria and a neutral court win at the Wesmen Classic against Toronto. Bobcats have also lost to Winnipeg twice (once in the finals of the Wesmen Classic) and also to Trinity Western in their second league game of the season in November. Have had an easy schedule relative to other Top 10 teams - only 7 of their 30 games overall have been against teams with records better than .500 - and will not play a Top 10 team on the road this season(2 home games, 1 neutral site).

#2 Concordia (11-1 in QSSF, 16-2 vs. CIS overall) (cishoops.ca #2 ranked last week): THIS PAST WEEK: Won at McGill 76-61. UPDATE: Concordia has won 4 in a row and 16 of 17 since their opening night loss at their own Concordia tournament to Laurentian in early October. The Stingers are 5-0 against teams with records better than .500 including a pair of wins out west over UBC (road game) and Victoria (at UBC tournament). Concordia hosts Laval this coming Friday night and then Bishop's Saturday afternoon, also at home.

#3 Carleton (19-2 in OUA, 27-2 vs. CIS overall) (cishoops.ca #3 ranked last week): THIS PAST WEEK: Won at Queen's 74-55 and at RMC 83-28 UPDATE: Have won 4 in a row, all on the road, after losing 2 of 3 prior to that. Carleton schedule is rated as one of the toughest in the country and their two losses were against solid, Top 10 teams (Ottawa and York). With quality wins against Windsor (twice), at York and a sweep of Toronto plus early season wins against Victoria and Cape Breton, the Ravens look to overcome one of their two losses in the season finale at Ottawa on Saturday.

#4 Victoria (20-3 Canada West, 24-6 vs. CIS overall) (cishoops.ca #4 ranked last week): THIS PAST WEEK: Defeated Fraser Valley 73-70 and Thompson Rivers, both at home. UPDATE: The Vikes finished in second place in the Pacific, tie with UBC but lost the tie-breaker by losing 2 of 3 against the T-Birds. Victoria can use the playoffs to improve on their 1-5 record thus far against teams in the Top 10, with the only win coming against UBC at home (losses: UBC twice, at Brandon, vs. Concordia at UBC tournament, at Carleton) and if the higher seeds win, will meet UBC in a Best-of-3 Pacific division final series. Vic will meet Simon Fraser next weekend in a Best-of-3 Pacific division semi-final with all games at home on the island.

#5 UBC (20-3 in Canada West, 26-4 vs. CIS overall) (cishoops.ca #6 ranked last week): THIS PAST WEEK: Defeated Thompson Rivers 94-76 and Fraser Valley 96-55. UPDATE: UBC clinched top spot in the Pacific on the weekend and will host Trinity Western in the first round of the playoffs in a Best-of-3 series with all games at home. The T-Birds have played the majority of their big games on the road, with only Victoria (win) and Concordia (loss) at home plus road games at Brandon (loss), at Saskatchewan (loss), at Alberta (win) and vs. Cape Breton (win at Memorial tournament). With a series win over TWU, UBC will host the Pacific division championship series.

#6 Ottawa (17-4 in OUA, 26-4 vs. CIS overall) (cishoops.ca #7 ranked last week): THIS PAST WEEK: Won at RMC 89-56 and at Queen's 75-62. UPDATE: The Gee-Gees have won 7 of their last 8 games with the lone loss during that stretch at the buzzer at U of T, with wins against Carleton and York. With only 4 losses to CIS teams all season, only 3 teams have fewer setbacks against Canadian schools. The Gee-Gees are a solid 8-4 against teams above .500 with losses at Toronto, Queen's, at York and at Windsor. The Gee-Gees, firmly entrenched in second place, close out their regular season this weekend at home against Carleton.

#7 Cape Breton (12-3 in AUS, 18-8 vs. CIS overall) (cishoops.ca #7 ranked last week): THIS PAST WEEK: Defeated St. FX at home 71-61 and UNB 94-82 in a four point game. UPDATE: The Capers control their own destiny for the AUS regular season title and took a big step toward that with a win over X. Cape Breton's only 2 losses after the holidays were on consecutive nights two weeks ago at Acadia and the teams have a rematch this Friday in Sydney, which will go a long way in deciding first place.

#8 Acadia (12-4 in AUS, 18-10 vs. CIS overall) (cishoops.ca #8 ranked last week): THIS PAST WEEK: Defeated UPEI 63-51 on the road. UPDATE: With a 9-1 record since the holidays and their only loss at home to X, the Axemen are vying for top spot in the AUS. This weekend's pair of road games, at Cape Breton on Friday followed by at St. FX on Saturday afternoon, is a huge test, and, especially with X's favorable schedule, only a pair of wins will prevent them from re-entering the dogfight for a first round bye to the AUS tournament.

#9 Toronto (13-7 in OUA, 18-9 vs. CIS overall) (cishoops.ca #10 ranked last week): THIS PAST WEEK: Won at York 82-70 and at Laurentian 68-60 in overtime. UPDATE: The Blues grabbed the driver's seat in the battle for third place in the OUA East with a solid win at York, coming from behind late behind fifth-year swingman Ben Katz and 6'9" Mike Williams. Varsity has locked down teams defensively since the holiday break, giving up an average of just 61 points per game in winning 9 of their last 10, one of the hottest streaks in the country. The Blues need to keep winning to remain ahead of York as they play a home-and-home with Ryerson this week, beginning with Wednesday's game at home when the program will honour graduating fifth-year seniors Williams and Katz.

#10 York (13-7 in OUA, 20-10 vs. CIS overall) (cishoops.ca not ranked last week): THIS PAST WEEK: Lost 82-70 at home to Toronto and defeated Ryerson 87-61 at home. UPDATE: The Lions have been knocking on the door of the Top 10 and with the recent troubles of both Windsor and St. FX have moved into the tenth slot. After dealing with injuries to OUA East leading scorer Dan Eves and second leading scorer Rohan Steen, the Lions are back to full strength for the stretch run. 6'3" Tut Ruach, an All-Canadian talent when fit, is also rounding into form however this is not a very deep team and up tempo games tend to wear York down late. The Lions have noteable wins at Carleton, at home against Ottawa and against Cape Breton at the Ryerson tournament but also have losses to Toronto (twice), Alberta, X, Carleton, Ottawa, Windsor, Western, Laurier and Queen's among their 10 setbacks. York completes their regular season Wednesday at home against Laurentian and then again Saturday in Sudbury against the Voyageurs.

DROPPED OUT OF CISHOOPS.CA TOP TEN
St. Francis Xavier (8-6 in AUS, 15-6 vs. CIS overall) (cishoops.ca #5 ranked last week): THIS PAST WEEK: Lost twice; at Cape Breton 71-61 and at UPEI 87-81. UPDATE: Losers of 5 of their past 7 games, X has hit a rough patch as their freshmen learn to deal with the rigours of playoff-type basketball. Although X is 10 points behind Acadia for second place in the AUS, X-Men still have six games remaining including a pair of 4 point games at home against Memorial, so by no stretch are they out of contention for a bye in the first round of the AUS tournament. St.FX has a big week coming up as they host UPEI Friday night and then Acadia on Saturday afternoon.

Windsor (13-6 in OUA, 16-7 vs. CIS overall) (cishoops.ca #8 ranked last week): THIS PAST WEEK: Lost 85-66 at Mac & defeated Western 78-66 at home. UPDATE: Now tied in first place with Brock, the Lancers broke a 3 game losing streak by defeating Western on Sunday and are 7-4 in the new year. Four of Windsor's seven losses have come decisively on the road at Mac, at Brock, at York and at Guelph - two other losses have come to Carleton in close games. The Lancers will likely need to defeat Brock a week from Wednesday at home to clinch their first OUA West regular season title in 27 years.

ALSO GARNERED SOME CONSIDERATION:

Alberta (15-7, 18-10) QUALITY WINS (1): York. LOSSES: McMaster, Toronto, Saskatchewan (twice), Regina, Brandon, Calgary (twice), Victoria, UBC.