All 17 CW basketball schools including the Manitoba Bisons, Brandon Bobcats and Winnipeg Wesmen basketball teams will be converging on Alberta this weekend in a new, single-knockout style of postseason play.
CALGARY - There's an added element of excitement for the Canada West basketball playoffs this year. For the first time ever, a 17-team single knock-out tournament will decide who advances to the final four.
Men's and women's teams from across the west are set to meet at the University of Calgary, Mount Royal University, and the University of Lethbridge in postseason action where every play and every shot counts.
The stage is set for dramatic comebacks, underdog victories, and emotional perseverance from Western Canada's top university athletes, who are also returning to postseason play for the first time since 2020, due to a year cancelled by COVID-19.
Women's games will go March 4-6 at the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University.
The men's games are March 3-5 at the University of Calgary and the University of Lethbridge.
You can catch all the action in person or on Canada West TV presented by Co-op.
The Canada West Final Four championship is slated for March 18-19, 2022 and will be hosted by the highest seed remaining in the tournament.
For more information on game times and locations, or to follow along with game results and recaps, visit the men's playoff page and the women's playoff page. A full championship preview with major storylines will be available Wednesday.
Fans are encouraged to buy tickets online to help avoid lines and touchpoints on game day at the following venues:
For University of Calgary game tickets, click here.
For Mount Royal University game tickets, click here.
For University of Lethbridge game tickets, purchase in person at the venue.
Source: https://canada-west.prezly.com/bb-teams-head-into-new-bracket-style-playoff
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CW Men's Basketball Playoffs tip off Thursday
Catch all the action on CWTV presented by Co-op
Brian Swane, special to CW
Canada West’s men’s basketball teams didn’t miss a beat in returning to the hardwood this season following the cancellation of 2020-21. In fact, the calibre of play from B.C. to Manitoba has been so high that half of the latest U Sports Top 10 men’s basketball poll is comprised of Canada West teams.
That also means that at least one of the best teams in the country will have their season come to an end this weekend, as the Canada West playoffs get underway, Thursday through Saturday, with games hosted by the University of Calgary at Jack Simpson Gym and the University of Lethbridge at 1st Choice Savings Centre.
Beginning with 17 teams, the field will be narrowed over the preliminary rounds, before a quartet of quarter-final matchups determine who advances to the 2022 Canada West Final Four, March 18-20.
Teams seeded 10 through 17 will tip off in the first round Friday, before seeds four through nine join the fray Saturday in the second round. The top three seeds, the Alberta Golden Bears, Victoria Vikes and Regina Cougars, have byes through to Sunday’s quarterfinals.
The Golden Bears, who will host the 2022 U Sports Men’s Final 8 next month, are currently the No. 2 ranked team in U Sports. Victoria is fifth, while the defending Canada West champion UBC T-Birds are sixth. The Saskatchewan Huskies sit ninth, and the Cougars round out the rankings at No 10.
Here’s a look at each team’s path to the Final Four:
1. Alberta (16-0, 1st Central Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: bye
Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (UFV vs. Winnipeg), 6 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
2. Victoria (17-1, 1st West Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: bye
Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (Manitoba/UBC Okanagan vs. Lethbridge), 7 p.m. MST Sat. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
3. Regina (12-4, 1st East Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: bye
Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (MacEwan/Trinity Western vs. Calgary), 8 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
4. Saskatchewan (11-5, 2nd East Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: vs. TBD (Brandon vs. UNBC), 4 p.m. MST Fri. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
*Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (Mount Royal/Thompson Rivers vs. UBC), 5 p.m. MST Sat. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
5. UBC (16-2, 2nd West Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: vs. TBD (Mount Royal vs. Thompson Rivers), 6 p.m. MST Fri. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
*Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (Brandon/UNBC vs. Saskatchewan), 5 p.m. MST Sat. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
6. Calgary (9-7, 2nd Central Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: vs. TBD (MacEwan vs. Trinity Western), 8 p.m. MST Fri. at Jack Simpson Gym
*Quarter-Final: vs. Regina, 8 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
7. Lethbridge (8-8, 3rd Central Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: vs. TBD (Manitoba vs. UBC Okanagan), 8 p.m. MST Fri. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
*Quarter-Final: vs. Victoria, 7 p.m. MST Sat. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
8. UFV (9-9, 3rd West Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: vs. Winnipeg, 6 p.m. MST Fri. at Jack Simpson Gym
*Quarter-Final: vs. Alberta, 6 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
9. Winnipeg (8-8, 3rd East Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: vs. UFV, 6 p.m. MST Fri. at Jack Simpson Gym
*Quarter-Final: vs. Alberta, 6 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
10. Manitoba (7-9, 4th East Division)
First Round: vs. UBC Okanagan, 8 p.m. MST Thurs. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
*Second Round: vs. Lethbridge, 8 p.m. MST Fri. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
**Quarter-Final: vs. Victoria, 7 p.m. MST Sat. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
11. Trinity Western (8-10, 4th West Division)
First Round: vs. MacEwan, 6 p.m. MST Thurs. at Jack Simpson Gym
*Second Round: vs. Calgary, 8 p.m. MST Fri. at Jack Simpson Gym
**Quarter-Final: **Quarter-Final: vs. Regina, 8 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
12. Mount Royal (7-9, 4th Central Division)
First Round: vs. Thompson Rivers, 6 p.m. MST Thurs. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
*Second Round: vs. UBC, 6 p.m. MST Fri. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
**Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (Brandon/UNBC vs. Saskatchewan), 5 p.m. MST Sat. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
13. UNBC (6-12, 5th West Division)
First Round: vs. Brandon, 4 p.m. MST Thurs. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
*Second Round: vs. Saskatchewan, 4 p.m. MST Fri. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
**Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (Mount Royal/Thompson Rivers vs. UBC), 5 p.m. MST Sat. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
14. Brandon (2-14, 5th East Division)
First Round: vs. UNBC, 4 p.m. MST Thurs. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
*Second Round: vs. Saskatchewan, 4 p.m. MST Fri. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
**Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (Mount Royal/Thompson Rivers vs. UBC), 5 p.m. MST Sat. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
15. Thompson Rivers (4-14, 6th West Division)
First Round: vs. Mount Royal, 6 p.m. MST Thurs. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
*Second Round: vs. UBC, 6 p.m. MST Fri. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
**Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (Brandon/Saskatchewan/UNBC), 5 p.m. MST Sat. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
16. MacEwan (0-17, 5th Central Division)
First Round: vs. Trinity Western, 6 p.m. MST Thurs. at Jack Simpson Gym
*Second Round: vs. Calgary, 8 p.m. MST Fri. at Jack Simpson Gym
**Quarter-Final: vs. Regina, 8 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
17. UBC Okanagan (3-15, 7th West Division)
First Round: vs. Manitoba, 8 p.m. MST Thurs. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
*Second Round: vs. Lethbridge, 8 p.m. MST Fri. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
**Quarter-Final: vs. Victoria, 7 p.m. MST Sat. at 1st Choice Savings Centre
You can catch all the action on CWTV presented by Co-op. For complete updates and results, visit the playoff page.
CW Women's Basketball Playoffs set to roll, madness-style
Catch all the action on CWTV presented by Co-op
Brian Swane, special to CW
The 2022 Canada West women’s basketball playoffs get underway this week with 17 teams competing over three days that can best be described as madness – the kind found only in March.
First and second round action is set for Friday and Saturday, followed by Sunday’s quarterfinals which will see a quartet of teams punch their tickets to the Canada West Final Four, set for March 18-20.
So big is the bracket that two gyms are needed to host the action: Jack Simpson Gym at the University of Calgary and Kenyon Court at Mount Royal University. Seeds 10-17 begin play in the first round, seeds 4-9 get started in round two, and the top three seeds join in for the quarterfinals. There is no margin for error, with teams sent packing after one defeat.
The largest ever postseason field in Canada West includes four teams currently ranked in the U Sports Top 10: the Saskatchewan Huskies (No. 2), Winnipeg Wesmen (No. 5), Alberta Pandas (No. 7) and UFV Cascades (No. 8). Saskatchewan is the two-time defending conference champs and captured gold at the most recent U SPORTS Final 8 in 2020.
Here’s a look at each team’s path to the 2022 Canada West Final Four:
1. Saskatchewan (14-2, 1st East Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: bye
Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (Calgary/Victoria), 1 p.m. MST Sun. at Jack Simpson Gym
2. Alberta (14-2, 1st Central Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: bye
Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (Brandon/UNBC vs. Regina), 5 p.m. MST Sun. at Kenyon Court
3. UFV (15-3, 1st West Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: bye
Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (Mount Royal/Thompson Rivers vs. Winnipeg), 7 p.m. MST Sun. at Kenyon Court
4. Trinity Western (15-3, 2nd West Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: vs. TBD (MacEwan/UBCO), 3 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
*Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (UBC/Manitoba vs. Lethbridge), 3 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
5. Lethbridge (10-6, 2nd Central Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: vs. TBD (Manitoba/UBC), 3 p.m. MST Sat. at Kenyon Court
*Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (UBC Okanagan/MacEwan vs. Trinity Western), 3 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
6. Winnipeg (14-2, 2nd East Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: vs. TBD (Mount Royal/Thompson Rivers), 7 p.m. MST Sat. at Kenyon Court
*Quarter-Final: vs. UFV, 7 p.m. MST Sun. at Kenyon Court
7. Regina (8-8, 3rd East Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: vs. TBD (Brandon/UNBC), 5 p.m. MST Sat. at Kenyon Court
*Quarter-Final: vs. Alberta, 5 p.m. MST Sun. at Kenyon Court
8. Calgary (7-9, 3rd Central Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: vs. Victoria, 1 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
*Quarter-Final: vs. Saskatchewan, 1 p.m. MST Sun. at Jack Simpson Gym
9. Victoria (11-7, 3rd West Division)
First Round: bye
Second Round: vs. Calgary, 1 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
*Quarter-Final: vs. Saskatchewan, 1 p.m. MST Sun. at Jack Simpson Gym
10. UNBC (8-10, 4th West Division)
First Round: vs. Brandon, 5 p.m. MST Fri. at Kenyon Court
*Second Round: vs. Regina, 5 p.m. MST Sat. at Kenyon Court
**Quarter-Final: vs. Alberta, 5 p.m. MST Sun. at Kenyon Court
11. Mount Royal (5-11, 4th Central Division)
First Round: vs. Thompson Rivers, 7 p.m. MST Fri. at Kenyon Court
*Second Round: vs. Winnipeg, 7 p.m. MST Sat. at Kenyon Court
**Quarter-Final: vs. UFV, 7 p.m. MST Sun. at Kenyon Court
12. Manitoba (4-12, 4th East Division)
First Round: vs. UBC, 3 p.m. MST Fri. at Jack Simpson Gym
*Second Round: vs. Lethbridge, 3 p.m. MST Sat. at Kenyon Court
**Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (UBC Okanagan/MacEwan vs. Trinity Western), 3 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
13. UBC Okanagan (7-11, 5th West Division)
First Round: vs. MacEwan, 1 p.m. MST Fri. at Jack Simpson Gym
*Second Round: vs. Trinity Western, 3 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
**Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (UBC/Manitoba vs. Lethbridge), 3 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
14. MacEwan (4-12, 5th Central Division)
First Round: vs. UBC Okanagan, 1 p.m. MST Fri. at Jack Simpson Gym
*Second Round: vs. Trinity Western, 3 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
**Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (UBC/Manitoba vs. Lethbridge), 3 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
15. UBC (6-12, 6th West Division)
First Round: vs. Manitoba, 3 p.m. MST Fri. at Jack Simpson Gym
*Second Round: vs. Lethbridge, 3 p.m. MST Sat. at Kenyon Court
**Quarter-Final: vs. TBD (UBC Okanagan/MacEwan vs. Trinity Western), 3 p.m. MST Sat. at Jack Simpson Gym
16. Thompson Rivers (1-17, 7th West Division)
First Round: vs. Mount Royal, 7 p.m. MST Fri. at Kenyon Court
*Second Round: vs. Winnipeg, 7 p.m. MST Sat. at Kenyon Court
**Quarter-Final: vs. UFV, 7 p.m. MST Sun. at Kenyon Court
17. Brandon (0-16, 5th East Division)
First Round: vs. UNBC, 5 p.m. MST Fri. at Kenyon Court
*Second Round: vs. Regina, 5 p.m. MST Sat. at Kenyon Court
**Quarter-Final: vs. Alberta, 5 p.m. MST Sun. at Kenyon Court
You can catch all the action on CWTV presented by Co-op. For complete updates and results, visit the playoff page.