Wednesday 24 October 2007

This Weekend's Tournaments/Exhibitions: Oct. 25-28

With Canada West Pacific Division beginning their regular season on Thursday, this is the final weekend of significant tournament action. Prior to full league schedules being played, several teams will embark on U.S. trips to play NCAA and NAIA teams in the next few weeks. By mid-November, all 4 CIS conferences will be in full regular season mode. We will have a seperate post on the start of the Canada West season. Today, we will preview this weekend's tournaments and exhibitions.

Regina Tour of Montana The Cougars finished second at last weekend's HuskieHoops.com Shootout at the University of Saskatchewan, going 2-1 in their first set of games against CIS competition including a fine near-comeback in a loss to the host Huskies. Regina travels to Montana to meet NAIA teams this coming weekend before embarking on their Canada West regular season schedule beginning next weekend.
Thurs., Oct. 25 10 PM Regina (2-1) at Carroll College (Helena, Montana) This will be Carroll's third game against CIS competition, as the Saints defeated Lethbridge 80-62 before losing in overtime 85-83 to Calgary last weekend. We failed to report at that time that Pronghorns guard Shawn Nelson had one of the best offensive stretches of the early season, pouring in an amazing 23 points in the first 15 minutes of the game to put the Saints on their heels, but a Carroll dominated from there.
Fri., Oct. 26 6 PM Regina at MSU-Northern (Coaches vs. Cancer/Northwest Energy Classic at Montana-State Northern in Havre, Montana) MSU-Northern knocked off Lethbridge 93-67 last weekend; this game is available by webcast by clicking here
Sat., Oct. 27 1 PM Regina vs. University of Great Falls (NAIA) at MSU-Northern Classic (Havre, Montana)

Laval Tournament Les Rouge et Or look to rebound from a slow 2-4 start to their season at home by hosting UNB, Laurentian and #5 St. Mary's. The Huskies (5-1) have had a quick start to the season, winning the recent Eric Garland tournament at UNB last weekend. Laval has already played in tournaments at UPEI and uOttawa.
Fri. Oct. 26th
4 PM #5 Saint Mary's (5-1) vs. UNB (2-3)
8 PM Laurentian (0-3) at Laval (2-4)
Sat. Oct. 27th
4 PM UNB vs. Laurentian
8 PM Saint Mary's at Laval
Sun. Oct. 28th
NOON Laurentian vs. Saint Mary's (at St-François)
2 PM UNB at Laval

Golden Bear Invitational at University of Alberta (Oct. 25-27) Alberta comes off a very strong weekend in Victoria, playing #1 Carleton very tough and defeating then-#2 Brandon Bobcats. The Bears welcome three Ontario teams to Edmonton including uOttawa Gee-Gees (3-0), winner's last weekend of their own Jack Donohue Memorial Tip-Off tournament. York Lions (0-4) participated in the McGill Redbird Classic two weeks ago and then lost a close four point game at home to #10 Dalhousie Tigers this past Saturday night. Waterloo (0-3) hosted their own Naismith Classic and this past Saturday lost by 6 at Sheridan College in Oakville.
Thurs., Oct. 25th
8 PM York (0-4) vs. Ottawa (3-0)
10 PM Waterloo (0-3) at Alberta (2-1)
Fri., Oct. 26th
8 PM Waterloo vs. Ottawa
10 PM York at Alberta
Sat., Oct. 27th
8 PM York vs. Waterloo
10 PM Ottawa at Alberta

RMC Tour of Manitoba The very young Paladins - 11 new faces, virtually all freshmen - embark on a three game tour of Winnipeg, meeting the Wesmen at the Duckworth Center and then playing a pair of games against the Bisons.
Thurs., Oct. 25 RMC at Winnipeg (2-2)
then Applebee’s Alumni
Fri., Oct. 26 RMC at Manitoba (1-4) 8:30 PM
Sat., Oct. 27 RMC at Manitoba 8:30 PM

****Late Note on RMC's trip to Winnipeg**** October 24 - Royal Military College is unavailable to travel due to campus commitments. The game against Winnipeg on Thursday, Oct. 25th plus the two scheduled pre-season games against Manitoba on Friday, October 26 and Saturday, October 27 at 7:30 p.m. at Investors Group Athletic Centre will not be played this weekend.

Western Purple & White Tournament (Oct. 26/27/28) Western has brought back the Purple & White tournament, which for years was held at Christmas time. This season's field is strong, with at least 3 teams that could and probably will at some point push for a Top 10 ranking with McGill (4-1), Queen's (2-1) and the host 'Stangs (2-1). The young UPEI Panthers (1-5), replacing 4 graduated starters from last season with several new players in the lineup, are getting stronger with every game and should blend into a solid group going forward.
Friday Oct. 26
1 PM UPEI (1-5) vs. Western (2-1)
3 PM McGill (4-1) vs. Queen's (2-1)
Saturday Oct. 27
1 PM Western vs McGill
3 PM UPEI vs Queen's
Sunday Oct. 28
9 AM McGill vs UPEI
3 PM Queen's vs. Western

Hawk Challenge at Laurier (Oct. 26/27) At Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, the Golden Hawks host a two-day event in which Laurier and #2 Windsor, a pair of OUA West schools, will cross-cross for games against QSSF contender Bishop's Gaiters and #7 Cape Breton (3-0), champions of the recent Mickey Place tournament at UPEI. The Capers have four games scheduled in Ontario this weekend, playing Thursday at Brock prior to the Hawk Challenge and then finishing the weekend in Guelph for a matchup with the Gryphons on Sunday afternoon.
Fri., Oct. 26th
6 PM Bishop's (3-3) vs. #2 Windsor (2-1)
8 PM #7 Cape Breton (3-0) at Laurier (2-2)
Sat., Oct. 27th
6 PM Bishop's at Laurier
8 PM Cape Breton vs. Windsor

University of Lethbridge Alumni Invitational #9 Saskatchewan Huskies headline the participants at the Lethbridge tournament. OUA East's Ryerson Rams look for their first victory of the season while the host Pronghorns, fresh off a tour of Montana last weekend, look for their first victory against a CIS opponent this season. Rocky Mountain College, an NAIA school from Billings, MT is the fourth participant.
Thurs., Oct. 25
8 PM #9 Saskatchewan (5-1) vs Ryerson (0-4)
10 PM Lethbridge (0-1) vs. Rocky Mt (NAIA)
Fri., Oct. 26
8 PM Ryerson vs. Rocky Mt
10 PM Saskatchewan at Lethbridge
Sat., Oct. 27
5 PM Saskatchewan vs Rocky Mountain
7 PM Lethbridge vs. Ryerson

Dalhousie, Cape Breton, Memorial & St. FX Tour of Ontario The Dalhousie Tigers make their third trip of the season to Ontario for another three game weekend set. After this weekend, Dal will have played their first 9 games away from Dalplex in 7 different gyms, playing 7 road games and 2 neutral site games. This weekend the Tigers meet U of T, Guelph (who they have already defeated at the Carleton tournament two weeks ago) and McMaster. St. FX X-Men are also back in Ontario after last weekend's second place finish at the Jack Donohue Memorial Tip-off tournament at uOttawa. The X-Men begin the weekend with a rematch against Brock in St. Catharines with the Badgers trying to avenge a defeat from last weekend. X also plays Mac and U of T. Cape Breton and Brock also meet for the second time this season with the Capers defeating the Badgers at the Mickey Place UPEI tournament two weeks ago.
Thurs., Oct. 25
8 PM Memorial (1-5) at Guelph (2-2)
7:30 PM Cape Breton (3-0) at Brock (2-4)
Fri., Oct. 26
NOON Memorial at McMaster (2-2)
3:00 PM Dalhousie (5-1) at Toronto (4-2)
7:30 PM St. Francis Xavier (3-2) at Brock
Sat., Oct. 27
2 PM Dalhousie at Guelph
2 PM St. FX at McMaster
6 PM Memorial at Toronto
Sun., Oct. 28
NOON Cape Breton at Guelph
2 PM St. FX at Toronto
2 PM Memorial at Brock
3 PM Dalhousie at McMaster

Lakehead & Brandon at North Dakota tournament
Both #8 Brandon and Lakehead will participate in the Mayville State Invitational Tourney hosted by Mayville State, an NAIA school in Mayville, North Dakota. A second NAIA school, North Dakota State, will also participate in the two-day, four-team event. Lakehead will also play a third game against Jamestown State (NAIA).
Fri., Oct. 26th
7 PM North Dakota State vs. Brandon
9 PM Mayville State vs. Lakehead
Sat., Oct. 27th
7 PM North Dakota State vs. Lakehead
9 PM Mayville State vs. Brandon University
Sun., Oct. 28th
6 PM Lakehead at Jamestown State (NAIA)

Calgary Dinos play a non-league game against a strong Whitworth University Eagles team from Spokane on Saturday at 11:45 MT/1:45 PM ET in the Jack Simpson Gym in Calgary.

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