Sportstream.ca regrets to announce that their new partnership with 123photo.ca will not be in effect this weekend for the Subway AUS Men`s Basketball Championships.
The two websites will be working together in the future to allow fans, parents, and alumni to receive a multimedia experience as they follow sports in Atlantic Canada on Sportstream, but the service will not be available for the championships.
Sportstream extends it`s apologies to all the fans and parents.
Our webcasting coverage begins Friday night at 6:00 with UNB Varsity Reds vs. Acadia, and the Saint Mary`s Huskies vs. Saint Francis Xavier.
Sportstream.ca is the official webcaster of the Subway AUS Men's Basketball Championships and the Saint Mary's Huskies. Follow us on twitter @_sportstream_.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Armaan Ahluwalia's AUS Championships Preview
The Metro Centre will be rocking this weekend for the Subway AUS Men's Basketball Championships
by Armaan Ahluwalia
The post season has arrived and it couldn’t have come quick enough. We have finally finished the regular season and now move on to the Championships. This year the AUS finals are being held at the Halifax Metro Centre where thousands of students and fans will join to watch some of the premier players in the country compete for AUS Supremacy.
The regular season ended with the CBU Capers finishing in first with a 10 point advantage. The Capers also manged to only lose one game in the entire season which happened to be to the second place team. Second place is held by the Dalhousie Tigers who started off the year strong and had a few speed bumps along the way but managed to secure the first round playoff bye.
Just behind them in 3rd place is the St. FX X-Men who less losses than the Tigers but fewer 4 point Wins which made the difference. Following them in 4th is the Acadia Axemen who managed to grab the closely contested 4th place with a few key victories down the stretch including one against the Tigers. 5th place is held by the UNB Varsity Reds who have pulled off some surprising victories this season including a surprise victory over the X-Men. Rounding out the final playoff spot is the SMU Huskies who with all star Joey Haywood at the helm managed to hold on to that final and competitive spot just edging out the UPEI panthers.
ST. FX X-Men (3) vs. SMU Huskies (6)
ST. FX X-Men - 3rd in the AUS – record (15-5) The X-Men were heavily favoured going into this season but with a slow start head’s were starting to be scratched. Although they had 5 losses this season they lost 4 out of those 5 to Dal and CBU. The other loss was to UNB in a surprising game at UNB. In the games that they have lost at home it has been extremely close losing both games by only 3 points. This being said X is a much better home team. Bad news for them is that this is at the Metro Centre and will not be a home court feeling for them. They are currently on a 5 game winning streak scoring 100+ points in 4 of the 5 games and limiting their opponents to under 80 in 4 of the 5 games. This is a positive to take away but they were against Memorial x2 (8th), Acadia (4th), UNB (5th) and UPEI (7th). Now the AUS has good competition but these are games that should be won when they are home. The X-Men are lead by Christian Upshaw who is averaging 18.1 pts per game. Also giving solid contributions to the team are Will Silver and Charlie Spurr. With big man Rinny Ngot giving little big man help they are stronger on the front court than they are the back.
SMU Huskies – 6th in the AUS – record (7-13) Do not let this record fool you. These Huskies mean business. They are a tough team which does not go away easily. The season started off fairly slow with the Huskies as they lost their first 4 games. Now in those 4 games they played some very good competition CBU x2 (1st), St. FX (3rd), and Acadia (4th). Unfortunately 3 of those games were at home, now to be fair they did bring in a lot of new players so it takes time to get used to playing with new teammates. The last stretch of the season has been tough on the Huskies as in their last 7 games they have gone an abysmal 1-6. Not a championship type record right there. Again they played some very good teams, but in this league if you want to win you have to beat the best teams. The Huskies are lead by AUS All-star Joey Haywood who set the single season record for points in a season. Joey started and played in all 20 games this season posting a 28.8 pts per game average. He also had a few 40+ performances in there as well. With a relatively young bench Tony Fassett has picked up some of the offensive load averaging 16 pts per game. Another player that has helped the Huskies Harry Ezenibe who is averaging 10 pts per game but just under 7 rebounds a game.
Decision: In the last game between these two the Huskies gave up a 4th Quarter lead defensively allowing the X-Men to score 34 points in the quarter and take the game 93-92 at the Tower. This game is going to be another close one as the Huskies have been less than par down the stretch while playing good teams. On the other hand the X-Men have been playing well on a 5 game win streak but against middle of the pack teams. The Huskies will need Joey Haywood to carry the offensive load and have supporting players contribute to the attack. For the X-Men they will have to shut down Joey Haywood completely as once and if that happens the Huskies offense slows down to nothing. In the end I like the X-Men to emerge victorious only by a slim margin because these Huskies have a lot of determination and could pull a shocker early.
Acadia Axemen (4) vs. UNB Varsity Reds (5)
Acadia Axemen – 4th in the AUS – record (7-13) These Axemen are one streaky team. They started the season out with a strong victory over the Huskies than fell into a 3 game losing slump. Following that they played well and won 3 games in a row. Than the season really fell into a slump. They went on a 9 game losing streak and was only able to score over 75 points twice during that stretch. They then proceeded to finish the season going 3-1 and beat Memorial twice to get those crucial 8 points. The Axemen are lead by Owen Klassen who is averaging just over 18 pts per game with 9.6 rebounds per game as well. This solid play has been great for the Axemen as he has started every game this year becoming a crucial part of the team. Also helping the Axemen is Anthony Sears who is averaging 17.9 points per game as well as 2.4 assists per game. These two have been very solid for the Axemen and will need to show up as they take on the Varsity Reds.
UNB Varsity Reds – 5th in the AUS – record (8-12)
Yes you did read correctly, the Reds do have more victories than the Axemen. They just failed to capitalize on the crucial 4 point games, therefore making a difference in the standings. These Reds started the season as many expected them to 3-0 with 3 fairly easy games to start. They then split the weekend with UPEI taking them to 3-1, a minor setback. They then also managed to lose 2 more games bringing their record to 3-3. Going to Memorial proved to be somewhat difficult as they split the weekend their record then going to 4-4. This season was up and down the whole time. With key victories coming up against St. FX, SMU and Acadia they Reds have pulled the upset card and know how to do it. UNB is not a team that has high scoring games they like to keep it low play defense and shut down teams. Only 3 times this season an opponent score more than 90 on UNB. They spread the ball around offensively to create defensive matchup problems. Andrew Wright and William McFee were the leading scorers averaging 13.7 points per game. Then the next leading scorers were Daniel Quirion and Alex DesRoches who averaged around 10 points a game with DesRoches averaging 8.8 boards a game.
Decision: This will be a good matchup as both teams have that talent to go ahead and take the victory. The Axemen will rely heavily on trying to score as much as they can trying to out do the Reds on Offense in the idea that they will prevail. The Reds will try to shut down their players and play good defense. They split the season series and it looks like this one could come down the wire as the last game was only 3 points between them. I like the Varsity Reds to come out with a victory over the Axemen as the Reds have shown that they can beat and compete with the best teams in the conference. I just feel that the Axemen were lucky getting into the playoffs thanks to Memorial who accounted for 8 of their 22 points.
The Dalhousie Tigers own the #2 spot and will play the winner of the St Fx – SMU game on Saturday night. The CBU Capers are the #1 seed and will play the winner of UNB – Acadia as well on Saturday. The winner of the Semi-Finals will automatically earn a berth to national’s which will be held here in Halifax a week from the start of this tournament. Look for the Capers to roll against their opponent whoever it may be as they have rolled this season and have no signs of slowing down. The Dal game will be close as a victory by St. Fx will pose a greater challenge than expected by many Tiger fans as the X-Men were robbed last year in the finals a year ago.
Armaan Ahluwalia is a writer with the Dalhousie Gazette and www.1inthestands.wordpress.com. Follow Armaan on twitter @therealbrindian.
Sportstream.ca is the webcasting home of the Subway AUS Men's Basketball Championships. Follow us on twitter @_sportstream_.
Subway AUS Championships Team Profile: Acadia Axemen
Anthony Sears and the Axemen will be trying to advance to Semi-Final Saturday for the first time since 2008.Seed at the Championships: Fourth
First Game: Quarter Finals, Friday Night at 6:00 versus Fifth Seed UNB
Head Coach: Steve Baur
Last AUS Championship: 2007
2010/11 Record: 7-13, 22 points
First Game: Quarter Finals, Friday Night at 6:00 versus Fifth Seed UNB
Head Coach: Steve Baur
Last AUS Championship: 2007
2010/11 Record: 7-13, 22 points
Meet The Axemen
Key Players
Owen Klassen- Potential first team all star averaged a double double with 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. The second year post from Kingston, Ontario is arguably the best inside/outside player in the conference.
Anthony Sears- Athletic guard who can score in bunches and matches up well with other speedy guards in the conference. Averaged 18 points per game.
Justin Boutilier – Was on his was to a possible second team All Star selection before injuring himself at the Rod Shoveller New Year's tourney. Averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds and can create match up problems with his tricky speed and three point shooting. Has one of the best shot fakes in the conference.
Strengths
Owen Klassen- Potential first team all star averaged a double double with 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. The second year post from Kingston, Ontario is arguably the best inside/outside player in the conference.
Anthony Sears- Athletic guard who can score in bunches and matches up well with other speedy guards in the conference. Averaged 18 points per game.
Justin Boutilier – Was on his was to a possible second team All Star selection before injuring himself at the Rod Shoveller New Year's tourney. Averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds and can create match up problems with his tricky speed and three point shooting. Has one of the best shot fakes in the conference.
Strengths
Starting Line Up- Klassen, Sears, and Boutilier are joined by solid point guard Tyler Lutton (8 ppg) and rising star Alex McLaughlin ( 9 ppg ) to give the Axemen a starting five that can compete with any team in the conference. The starters had a combined average of 65 points per game accounting for nearly 90 percent of team scoring.
Shot Blocking- The Axemen led the AUS in blocked shots with an average of three and a half swats a game. Klassen averaged two rejections per contest.
Owen Klassen- Klassen may be the toughest match up in the conference with his combination of speed and size, and his versatile offensive game that features shooting range to well beyond the arc and a solid post game. Klassen is prone to turning the ball over and getting in foul trouble.
Shot Blocking- The Axemen led the AUS in blocked shots with an average of three and a half swats a game. Klassen averaged two rejections per contest.
Owen Klassen- Klassen may be the toughest match up in the conference with his combination of speed and size, and his versatile offensive game that features shooting range to well beyond the arc and a solid post game. Klassen is prone to turning the ball over and getting in foul trouble.
Weaknesses
Depth- Rookie Thomas Filgiano is a solid contributor off the bench and as a spot starter as Boutlier recovers from injury, but after that the production of Acadia's bench drops off dramatically. Lauchlan Gale brings some hard work and hustle and Sinclair Brown offers some post defense but there is nobody coming off the Axemen bench who is going to make a serious impact.
Toughness- AUS pundits have questioned the Axemen grit and toughness this year, especially during an extended losing streak through January and February where it seemed they layed down when getting behind. The comeback versus Dalhousie where they won on an Alex McLaughlin tip in at the buzzer (Lauchlan Gale was given credit) was definitely a character building win and they did take care of business at home versus Memorial on the last weekend of the regular season. If Acadia advances to play the warriors of Cape Breton, observers will be interested to see how much of a determined effort the Axemen will give.
Shooting/Turnovers- The Axemen finished seventh in shooting percentage averaging just under 41 percent for the season and finished last in turnover margin with a negative 2.5.
Depth- Rookie Thomas Filgiano is a solid contributor off the bench and as a spot starter as Boutlier recovers from injury, but after that the production of Acadia's bench drops off dramatically. Lauchlan Gale brings some hard work and hustle and Sinclair Brown offers some post defense but there is nobody coming off the Axemen bench who is going to make a serious impact.
Toughness- AUS pundits have questioned the Axemen grit and toughness this year, especially during an extended losing streak through January and February where it seemed they layed down when getting behind. The comeback versus Dalhousie where they won on an Alex McLaughlin tip in at the buzzer (Lauchlan Gale was given credit) was definitely a character building win and they did take care of business at home versus Memorial on the last weekend of the regular season. If Acadia advances to play the warriors of Cape Breton, observers will be interested to see how much of a determined effort the Axemen will give.
Shooting/Turnovers- The Axemen finished seventh in shooting percentage averaging just under 41 percent for the season and finished last in turnover margin with a negative 2.5.
Axemen Notes
The Axemen had lost nine games in a row before winning three of their last four to qualify for the tournament....Acadia picked up eight points by virtue of two wins over MUN in Wolfville on the last weekend of the season to leap frog UPEI, SMU, and UNB.....Acadia split the season series with UNB, beating the Reds in Fredericton 79-64 and losing 74-71 at home on a buzzer beating three pointer.....Sears has struggled with turnovers this season committing 54 compared to 47 assists......the Axemen have lost in the quarter finals the past two seasons to the Dalhousie Tigers, 88-85 in 2009 and 76-75 in 2010......Acadia posted a record of 1-9 vs. CBU, Dalhousie, and X this season......the Axemen shoot nearly 70 percent as a team from the foul line.
The Axemen had lost nine games in a row before winning three of their last four to qualify for the tournament....Acadia picked up eight points by virtue of two wins over MUN in Wolfville on the last weekend of the season to leap frog UPEI, SMU, and UNB.....Acadia split the season series with UNB, beating the Reds in Fredericton 79-64 and losing 74-71 at home on a buzzer beating three pointer.....Sears has struggled with turnovers this season committing 54 compared to 47 assists......the Axemen have lost in the quarter finals the past two seasons to the Dalhousie Tigers, 88-85 in 2009 and 76-75 in 2010......Acadia posted a record of 1-9 vs. CBU, Dalhousie, and X this season......the Axemen shoot nearly 70 percent as a team from the foul line.
Sportstream is the official webcaster of the Subway AUS Men's Championships. We'll be showing every game beginning at 6:00 Atlantic on Friday Night. Follow us on twitter @_sportstream_.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Subway AUS Championships Team Profile: UNB Varsity Reds
In three years Brent Baker turned around UNB and has the Reds back at the Metro Centre.by Bill McLean
Varsity Reds Seed at the Championships: Fifth
First Game: Quarter finals, Friday Night at 6:00 vs. Fourth Seeded Acadia
Head Coach: Brent Baker
Last AUS Championship: 1967
2010/11 Record: 8-12, 20 points.
Meet The Varsity Reds
Key Players
Andrew Wright- UNB's leading scorer averaged 14 points per game and shot 41 percent from the three point line. The 5th year guard from Fredericton had 70 assists, only 49 turnovers and shot 83 percent from the foul line.
William McFee- Averaged 14 points per game but struggled with foul travel, limiting his playing time to 25 minutes a contest.
Alex DesRoches- Fourth year forward averaged nearly a double double with 11 points and 9 rebounds a game.
Strengths
Defense- The Varsity Reds finished fourth in the conference in scoring defense giving up 79 points a game and defend the three point shot very well as conference opponents shot only 32 percent from beyond the arc.
Coaching – An excellent motivator and tactician, the potential AUS Coach of the Year Brent Baker gets the maximum effort possible out of his players and always prepares a solid game plan.
Veteran Leadership – Wright and DesRoches are savvy seniors hungry for their first AUS tournament win of their careers.
Depth- The Reds have nine players on the roster who averaged over 10 minutes playing time per game in conference play.
First Game: Quarter finals, Friday Night at 6:00 vs. Fourth Seeded Acadia
Head Coach: Brent Baker
Last AUS Championship: 1967
2010/11 Record: 8-12, 20 points.
Meet The Varsity Reds
Key Players
Andrew Wright- UNB's leading scorer averaged 14 points per game and shot 41 percent from the three point line. The 5th year guard from Fredericton had 70 assists, only 49 turnovers and shot 83 percent from the foul line.
William McFee- Averaged 14 points per game but struggled with foul travel, limiting his playing time to 25 minutes a contest.
Alex DesRoches- Fourth year forward averaged nearly a double double with 11 points and 9 rebounds a game.
Strengths
Defense- The Varsity Reds finished fourth in the conference in scoring defense giving up 79 points a game and defend the three point shot very well as conference opponents shot only 32 percent from beyond the arc.
Coaching – An excellent motivator and tactician, the potential AUS Coach of the Year Brent Baker gets the maximum effort possible out of his players and always prepares a solid game plan.
Veteran Leadership – Wright and DesRoches are savvy seniors hungry for their first AUS tournament win of their careers.
Depth- The Reds have nine players on the roster who averaged over 10 minutes playing time per game in conference play.
Weaknesses
Scoring – The Reds had the lowest scoring offense in the AUS averaging just under 75 points per game. UNB had the worst shooting percentage, just barely above 40 percent.
Rebounding – The Reds finished seventh in the conference in rebounding margin with a -4. Not one player on the roster besides DesRoches averaged more than 5 rebounds a game.
Lack of Experience- The Reds have not been to the AUS Championships since 2006.
Varsity Reds Notes
The Reds finished third in the AUS in three point shooting percentage averaging 36 %.....the last time UNB played Acadia they won on a buzzer beating three pointer in Wolfville that turned out to be a critical two points in the standings......the Reds lost five of their last six regular season games, their only victory a 76-66 drubbing of UPEI in Fredericton......the Reds signature win of the regular season was a 94-82 victory over X in The Pit on January 30th.......Brent Baker is in his third season as UNB Head Coach after a long tenure at Saint Francis Xavier as an Assistant on the men's team and Head Coach of the women.....expect to see a lot of red shirts in the Metro Centre on Friday night. UNB has enjoyed a resurgence recently with their athletic program and a great deal of students, alumni, and Frederictonians have been following the Varsity Reds teams throughout the Maritimes this year.
Sportstream is the official webcaster of the Subway AUS Men's Basketball Championships. Follow us on twitter @_sportstream_.
Scoring – The Reds had the lowest scoring offense in the AUS averaging just under 75 points per game. UNB had the worst shooting percentage, just barely above 40 percent.
Rebounding – The Reds finished seventh in the conference in rebounding margin with a -4. Not one player on the roster besides DesRoches averaged more than 5 rebounds a game.
Lack of Experience- The Reds have not been to the AUS Championships since 2006.
Varsity Reds Notes
The Reds finished third in the AUS in three point shooting percentage averaging 36 %.....the last time UNB played Acadia they won on a buzzer beating three pointer in Wolfville that turned out to be a critical two points in the standings......the Reds lost five of their last six regular season games, their only victory a 76-66 drubbing of UPEI in Fredericton......the Reds signature win of the regular season was a 94-82 victory over X in The Pit on January 30th.......Brent Baker is in his third season as UNB Head Coach after a long tenure at Saint Francis Xavier as an Assistant on the men's team and Head Coach of the women.....expect to see a lot of red shirts in the Metro Centre on Friday night. UNB has enjoyed a resurgence recently with their athletic program and a great deal of students, alumni, and Frederictonians have been following the Varsity Reds teams throughout the Maritimes this year.
Sportstream is the official webcaster of the Subway AUS Men's Basketball Championships. Follow us on twitter @_sportstream_.
Subway AUS Championships Team Profile: Saint Mary's Huskies
Joey Haywood will need to be front and center for the Huskies if they are to advance to Semi -Final Saturday.Huskies Seed At The Championships: Sixth
First Game: Quarterfinals, Friday night at 8:15 vs. Third Seeded Saint Francis Xavier
First Game: Quarterfinals, Friday night at 8:15 vs. Third Seeded Saint Francis Xavier
Head Coach: Ross Quackenbush
Last AUS Championship: 2008
2010/11 Record: 7-13, 20 points.
Last AUS Championship: 2008
2010/11 Record: 7-13, 20 points.
Meet The Huskies
Key Players
Joey Haywood- The leading scorer in the CIS averages nearly 30 points per game. Was voted CIS Player of the Week in January after a 46 point performance vs. UPEI. Scored 37 points in the second half in a victory over Dalhousie. Haywood shoots over fifty percent from the floor and averages five rebounds a game
Tory Fassett- Fassett averaged 16 points and 6 rebounds per game, shooting 55% from the floor and often received the toughest defensive assignment. Fassett has been a critical part of the Huskies press break and is a dynamic athlete whose had several highlight dunks at the Tower this season.
Harry Ezenibe- On of the best athletes in the conference, Ezenibe also features a very polished post game. Averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds per game and can jump with anyone in the AUS.
Strengths
Haywood- For the Huskies to make a run at the championships they'll need lots of Haywood. Expect Joey to score well over thirty points in each game the Huskies play this weekend.
Half Court Offense- The signature of Ross Quackenbush's Huskies teams is the beautiful passing half court offence. Not only is it fun to watch, but it's extremely effective at the Metro Centre for championship basketball where the style of play tends to revert to critical half court possessions.
Athleticism- With the additions of Fassett and Jerome Smith to a lineup that already had Haywood, Ezenibe, and Miguel Pink, the Huskies have the athleticism needed to compete with the X-Men and Capers.
Shooting Percentage- The Huskies shoot the basketball at a 47 percent clip, good for second in the conference. Offensively the Huskies average 88 points per game
Weaknesses
Weaknesses
Defence- The Huskies are the second worst defensive team in the AUS surrendering nearly 90 points per game.
Chemistry- After losing Mark McLaughlin and Ike Ichegbu, the Huskies had to reload in a hurry and managed to find talented players ready to contribute in Fassett, Smith, and Doyle Anthony. But the Huskies have still not gelled on the floor and time is running out. Saint Mary's is renowned for playing their best basketball in February and March but heading into AUS championships there appear to be more questions than answers.
Huskies Notes
SMU lost both of their games this season to X. 97-84 in Antigonish and 93-92 at The Tower in a game the Huskies were in control of until the final minute.......The Huskies were 2-8 vs. CBU, X, and Dal this season......Miguel Pink shot nearly 40 percent from the three point line this season ( 35-88).....perhaps the Huskies player who has struggled the most this season has been Simon Marr. The 6'9" Saint John product is only averaging 6 points and 4 rebounds a game while shooting well below 40 percent from the field. However, Marr is the best passing post player in the AUS and his ability to move the basketball could be a huge factor f or the Huskies this weekend....SMU is 1-6 in their last 7 games......The Huskies are the third best offensive rebounding team in the conference averaging 15 per game.....Joey Haywood's conference leading average of 29 ppg is 10 points ahead of the next highest scorer, Simon Farine of Dalhousie with 19.
Sportstream.ca is the official webcaster of the Subway AUS Men's Basketball Championships. Our coverage begins on Friday night at 6:00 and goes until the final buzzer on Championship Sunday. Follow us on twitter @_sportstream_
Sunday, February 27, 2011
AUS Recap: Huskies Ties Series With Dramatic Comeback, Axemen Qualify for AUS Championships
Lucas Bloodoff had a goal and an assist to lead the Huskies in a pivotal win over X.by Bill McLean
Huskies Ties Series With Dramatic Comeback
The Saint Mary's Huskies overcame a 3-0 deficit tonight at the Forum to defeat the Saint Francis Xavier X-Men and even the best of five AUS semi final series at one game a piece
Lucas Bloodoff, Mike Danton, Chris Mackinnon, and David Macdonald scored for the Huskies in the final thirty minutes to propel Saint Mary's to victory and give the defending CIS champions home ice advantage for the remainder of the series.
Game 3 in this intriguing series will be Tuesday night from the Forum at 7:00.
Acadia Takes Care of Business, Moves on To AUS Championships
Despite losing 10 of 12 games in 2011 before this weekend, the Acadia Axemen are off to the Subway AUS Men's Basketball Championships.
Acadia swept the Memorial Seahawks in two games to garner eight points in the standings and earn a trip to the Metro Centre as the number four seed. The Axemen will play the UNB Varsity Reds on Friday night at 6:00 in the quarter finals. At 8:00 approximate will be the highly anticipated match up of the Saint Francis Xavier X-Men versus Joey Haywood and the Saint Mary's Huskies.
Both games on friday can be seen on sportstream.ca, the offiicial webcaster of the Subway AUS Men's Basketball Championships.
Sportstream.ca is the official webcaster of Saint Mary's athletics and the Subway AUS Men's Basketball Championships. Follow us on twitter @_sportstream_.
AUS Sunday; X-Women Look for Perfection on Senior's Day at the DMA
The Tigers will honour 5th year Senior Laura Shearer today at the DMA.(Photo Credit: Nick Pearce)
by Bill McLean
Women's Hockey
Saint Francis Xavier (23-0) at Dalhousie (10-13)
This should be a Senior's Sunday doozy from the DMA. There are playoff implications on the line for the Tigers as they are battling for the third seed at AUS championships. It won't make a huge difference for who they match up with in the quarter finals but it would put them in line to play Moncton in the Semis as opposed to these juggernaut X-Women on their home ice in Antigonish.
St FX will walk in to Dalhousie undefeated on the season and looking for one for win to achieve regular season perfection. Yesterday the dynamic duo of Janelle Parent (43 points) and Alex Normore (41 points) combined for three goals to lead the X-Women to a dominating 3-0 victory over the Saint Mary's Huskies on Senior's day at Alumni Arena.
Dalhousie will be honouring 5th year senior and team captain, Laura Shearer, along with the high scoring Jocelyn Leblanc, and solid veterans Robyn Nicholson, Robin Mullen, and Alyssa Hennigar. These seniors have been the core of the Tigers team for several years and they'll be hyped for a huge upset of the X-Women to make their last game at the DMA a memorable one.
Game time is 2:00 and will be webcast on ssncanada with Bill McLean and Steve Betts.
Mount Allison (9-13) at St.Thomas (10-13)
This should be a Senior's Sunday doozy from the DMA. There are playoff implications on the line for the Tigers as they are battling for the third seed at AUS championships. It won't make a huge difference for who they match up with in the quarter finals but it would put them in line to play Moncton in the Semis as opposed to these juggernaut X-Women on their home ice in Antigonish.
St FX will walk in to Dalhousie undefeated on the season and looking for one for win to achieve regular season perfection. Yesterday the dynamic duo of Janelle Parent (43 points) and Alex Normore (41 points) combined for three goals to lead the X-Women to a dominating 3-0 victory over the Saint Mary's Huskies on Senior's day at Alumni Arena.
Dalhousie will be honouring 5th year senior and team captain, Laura Shearer, along with the high scoring Jocelyn Leblanc, and solid veterans Robyn Nicholson, Robin Mullen, and Alyssa Hennigar. These seniors have been the core of the Tigers team for several years and they'll be hyped for a huge upset of the X-Women to make their last game at the DMA a memorable one.
Game time is 2:00 and will be webcast on ssncanada with Bill McLean and Steve Betts.
Mount Allison (9-13) at St.Thomas (10-13)
Two teams that have clinched playoff spots but are battling for positioning. Each can finish anywhere from third to sixth in the standings, and like the Tigers they'll both be pressing to get the third spot to avoid St FX until the Championship game. The Mounties have alot of size while STU answers with alot of team speed. The Mounties have lost 6 of their last 7 games while the Tommies are 3-2 in their last five.
Men's Hockey: Semi Finals
#3 Saint Francis Xavier at #2 Saint Mary's (X leads 1-0 in Best of Five)
The X-Men drew first blood on Thursday night in Antigonish behind three point performances from Chris Hulit and Jason Bast. The X-Men's 5-3 victory would not have been possible without the stellar play of Joey Perricone who turned away 22 pucks by the Huskies who out shot the X-Men 25-17. This combination of Hulit and Perricone is turning into a winning formula for St FX and has the team two wins away from going to nationals.
The defending CIS champion Huskies will be desperate for a win tonight at the Forum to get back on equal footing. Dating back to last season, St FX has now won 4 straight semi final games versus defending CIS champs. Last year they swept UNB in three games one year after the Reds won the national title.
If the Huskies are to break through with a win they'll need to capitalize more on the power play (X had 22 PIM on Thursday compared to 6 for SMU) and get better goaltending from Neil Conway.
Game time from the Forum is 7:00.
Women's Basketball
Memorial (11-8, 30 points) at Acadia (11-8, 30 points)
Come Friday night in St.John's these two teams will be tired of seeing each other. Today's game is a battle for 4th place but meaningless for playoff positioning as the teams will play each other in the quarter finals next weekend. Yesterday the Axewomen got 24 points from Stephanie Chapman to beat the Seahawks 83-68. But...”beware of the Seahawks on Sunday!” Memorial is 7-2 this season on Sunday, with several of those wins coming after being blown out the night before.
#3 Saint Francis Xavier at #2 Saint Mary's (X leads 1-0 in Best of Five)
The X-Men drew first blood on Thursday night in Antigonish behind three point performances from Chris Hulit and Jason Bast. The X-Men's 5-3 victory would not have been possible without the stellar play of Joey Perricone who turned away 22 pucks by the Huskies who out shot the X-Men 25-17. This combination of Hulit and Perricone is turning into a winning formula for St FX and has the team two wins away from going to nationals.
The defending CIS champion Huskies will be desperate for a win tonight at the Forum to get back on equal footing. Dating back to last season, St FX has now won 4 straight semi final games versus defending CIS champs. Last year they swept UNB in three games one year after the Reds won the national title.
If the Huskies are to break through with a win they'll need to capitalize more on the power play (X had 22 PIM on Thursday compared to 6 for SMU) and get better goaltending from Neil Conway.
Game time from the Forum is 7:00.
Women's Basketball
Memorial (11-8, 30 points) at Acadia (11-8, 30 points)
Come Friday night in St.John's these two teams will be tired of seeing each other. Today's game is a battle for 4th place but meaningless for playoff positioning as the teams will play each other in the quarter finals next weekend. Yesterday the Axewomen got 24 points from Stephanie Chapman to beat the Seahawks 83-68. But...”beware of the Seahawks on Sunday!” Memorial is 7-2 this season on Sunday, with several of those wins coming after being blown out the night before.
Men's Basketball
Memorial (3-19, 8 pts) at Acadia (6-13, 18 pts)
Coming in to this weekend set versus the Seahawks, Steve Bauer and the Axemen knew it was a simple scenario; win both games and plan your trip to Halifax for AUS championships, or lose one game and stay home in Wolfville. Acadia took care of business last night with a decisive 86-65 victory behind 27 points from Alex McLaughlin, and a double/double (25 pts, 13 rebs) from Owen Klassen. If Acadia wins today they'll be the fourth seed next weekend at the Metro Centre and play the UNB Varsity Reds in the quarter finals on Friday night. If they lose, the UPEI Panthers will qualify as the sixth seed. Needless to say, there are alot of Memorial Seahawks fans today in Charlottetown.
Memorial (3-19, 8 pts) at Acadia (6-13, 18 pts)
Coming in to this weekend set versus the Seahawks, Steve Bauer and the Axemen knew it was a simple scenario; win both games and plan your trip to Halifax for AUS championships, or lose one game and stay home in Wolfville. Acadia took care of business last night with a decisive 86-65 victory behind 27 points from Alex McLaughlin, and a double/double (25 pts, 13 rebs) from Owen Klassen. If Acadia wins today they'll be the fourth seed next weekend at the Metro Centre and play the UNB Varsity Reds in the quarter finals on Friday night. If they lose, the UPEI Panthers will qualify as the sixth seed. Needless to say, there are alot of Memorial Seahawks fans today in Charlottetown.
Sportstream.ca is the webcasting home of the Subway AUS Men's Basketball Championships. Sporstream will have live coverage of all five games from the Metro Centre. Follow us on twitter @_sportstream_.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Huskies on Haligonia; Seniors Day at Alumni as Huskies Host Undefeated X-Women
Jillian MacIsaac will be busy today vs. the nationally ranked X-Women.(photo credit: Richard Lafortune)
by Bill McLean
The defending AUS champion Saint Mary's Huskies will be looking to hand the Saint Francis Xavier X-Women their first loss of the season on Senior's Day at the Alumni Arena.
The X-Women are the third ranked team in the country with a record of 22 wins and no losses. Led by the high scoring duo of Janelle Parent (40 pts) and Alex Normore (38 pts), St FX has outscored their AUS opponents 106-32.
The X-Women's biggest strength may be on the blue line where they have an outstanding balance of size and skill. Diminutive captain Suzanne Fenerty has 20 pts this season and Marilynn Hay and 6'4” Jenna Downey provide alot of stability on the back end.
The Huskies have clinched a playoff spot and can still finish anywhere from third to sixth in the standings as the season comes to a close this weekend. Saint Mary's is 7-5 in 2011 after a rough start before the break.
Lauren McCusker, Kyla Thurston, and Courtney Schriver have combined for 68 points to lead the Huskies scoring attack. Goaltender Jillian MacIssac has played in all 23 games this season and has a solid Goals Against Average of 3.13.
Before the opening face off the team will be paying tribute to their seniors playing their last game at Alumni Arena. The list of seniors includes 5th year standouts Seyara Shwetz from Waskateneau, Alberta and local Halifax product Schriver.
Game time from Alumni is 2:00 and it will be webcast on sportstream.ca. Bill McLean will have the call.
Sportstream.ca is the webcasting home of the Saint Mary's Huskies and the Subway AUS Men's Basketball Championships. Follow us on twitter @_sportstream_ and check us out on facebook.
The X-Women are the third ranked team in the country with a record of 22 wins and no losses. Led by the high scoring duo of Janelle Parent (40 pts) and Alex Normore (38 pts), St FX has outscored their AUS opponents 106-32.
The X-Women's biggest strength may be on the blue line where they have an outstanding balance of size and skill. Diminutive captain Suzanne Fenerty has 20 pts this season and Marilynn Hay and 6'4” Jenna Downey provide alot of stability on the back end.
The Huskies have clinched a playoff spot and can still finish anywhere from third to sixth in the standings as the season comes to a close this weekend. Saint Mary's is 7-5 in 2011 after a rough start before the break.
Lauren McCusker, Kyla Thurston, and Courtney Schriver have combined for 68 points to lead the Huskies scoring attack. Goaltender Jillian MacIssac has played in all 23 games this season and has a solid Goals Against Average of 3.13.
Before the opening face off the team will be paying tribute to their seniors playing their last game at Alumni Arena. The list of seniors includes 5th year standouts Seyara Shwetz from Waskateneau, Alberta and local Halifax product Schriver.
Game time from Alumni is 2:00 and it will be webcast on sportstream.ca. Bill McLean will have the call.
Sportstream.ca is the webcasting home of the Saint Mary's Huskies and the Subway AUS Men's Basketball Championships. Follow us on twitter @_sportstream_ and check us out on facebook.
Friday, February 25, 2011
AUS Friday Night; Playoff Implications Abound in Women's and Men's Basketball
Mike Danton and the Huskies begin their CIS title defence tonight in Antigonish vs. the X-Men(photo credit: Richard Lafortune)
by Bill McLean
Men's Hockey Semi Finals
#2 Saint Mary's at #3 Saint Francis Xavier
Easily the most exciting playoff match up in the country gets started tonight in Antigonish. Most pundits are picking the best of five series to go the distance and some think the X-Men are primed for an upset. St FX swept the four games from the defending national champions during the regular season and have the physicality and depth needed to bring down the Huskies. Leading scorer Chris Hulit is playing as good as anyone in the conference, Spencer McAvoy leads a big, talented defensive core, and Joey Perricone is arguably the best goaltender in the conference.
The Huskies respond with all the usual suspects ready to go, a deep and talented roster, and that characteristic Huskies swagger. The Huskies are built for the playoffs and feature size and skill at every position. After a January slide that saw the champs reeling with five straight losses, the Huskies finished the regular season with five straight wins including a 3-1 drubbing of the top ranked Varsity Reds at the Forum. Veterans Andrew Hotham (37 pts) and Cam Fergus (32 pts) are leading the way while Chris Mackinnon and Kyle Wharton have proven to be outstanding additions.
Expect this series to be full of drama, intrigue, physicality, speed....and to go the distance.
The Huskies respond with all the usual suspects ready to go, a deep and talented roster, and that characteristic Huskies swagger. The Huskies are built for the playoffs and feature size and skill at every position. After a January slide that saw the champs reeling with five straight losses, the Huskies finished the regular season with five straight wins including a 3-1 drubbing of the top ranked Varsity Reds at the Forum. Veterans Andrew Hotham (37 pts) and Cam Fergus (32 pts) are leading the way while Chris Mackinnon and Kyle Wharton have proven to be outstanding additions.
Expect this series to be full of drama, intrigue, physicality, speed....and to go the distance.
Women's Hockey
Mount Allison (9-13) at Moncton (15-7)
Mount Allison (9-13) at Moncton (15-7)
Both teams have clinched playoff berths, Le Aigles Bleus are locked in at the two spot and will have a first round bye at the AUS championships, while the Mounties are still battling for seeding. Dalhousie, St.Thomas, Saint Mary's, and Mount Allison are all separated by only 3 points heading into the final weekend. The only question is can any of those four teams actually come close to beating X or Moncton in the semi finals.
Women's Basketball
UNB (14-4, 40 pts) at St.FX (12-6, 34 pts)
Outstanding match up of two teams with championship aspirations and hitting stride right at the perfect time. St FX, CBU, and UNB are all in contention for the top two spots and a first round bye at AUS championships. Despite leading CBU by four points and X by six, the Reds will need to win at least one game this weekend to secure a bye. The Capers and X-Women both have a four point game with Carly Clarke's rebuilding UPEI Panthers this weekend so you can add four points to their standings total already. Therefore if the Reds get swept by X and CBU this weekend, they'll finish third and have to play a first round game in St. John's. Don't think UNB coach Jeff Speedy isn't aware of this and expect him to have Amanda Sharpe and the Corby sisters fired up. X responds with the most athletic, deepest team in the conference that will try to blitzkrieg the Reds in the first quarter with their full court pressure and running offensive game. Should be a dandy!
UPEI (0-18) at Cape Breton (14-4, 36 pts)
With a first round bye in his sights, don't expect Fabian Mackenzie to take it easy on the Panthers tonight in Sydney. Even with a guaranteed four point win tonight, if X beats UNB in Antigonish, the Capers will have to beat UNB tomorrow night to secure a pass to Semi Final Saturday at AUS Championships. The Panthers have the unfortunate chore of finishing their season on the road playing two teams battling for byes, but Carly Clarke's troops have shown remarkable progress this season and appear on the verge of becoming competitive again after Clarke overhauled the program two years ago.
UNB (14-4, 40 pts) at St.FX (12-6, 34 pts)
Outstanding match up of two teams with championship aspirations and hitting stride right at the perfect time. St FX, CBU, and UNB are all in contention for the top two spots and a first round bye at AUS championships. Despite leading CBU by four points and X by six, the Reds will need to win at least one game this weekend to secure a bye. The Capers and X-Women both have a four point game with Carly Clarke's rebuilding UPEI Panthers this weekend so you can add four points to their standings total already. Therefore if the Reds get swept by X and CBU this weekend, they'll finish third and have to play a first round game in St. John's. Don't think UNB coach Jeff Speedy isn't aware of this and expect him to have Amanda Sharpe and the Corby sisters fired up. X responds with the most athletic, deepest team in the conference that will try to blitzkrieg the Reds in the first quarter with their full court pressure and running offensive game. Should be a dandy!
UPEI (0-18) at Cape Breton (14-4, 36 pts)
With a first round bye in his sights, don't expect Fabian Mackenzie to take it easy on the Panthers tonight in Sydney. Even with a guaranteed four point win tonight, if X beats UNB in Antigonish, the Capers will have to beat UNB tomorrow night to secure a pass to Semi Final Saturday at AUS Championships. The Panthers have the unfortunate chore of finishing their season on the road playing two teams battling for byes, but Carly Clarke's troops have shown remarkable progress this season and appear on the verge of becoming competitive again after Clarke overhauled the program two years ago.
Men's Basketball
UNB (8-10, 20 pts) at CBU (17-1, 46 pts)
The Capers finish the season with a weekend set of pivotal home games ripe with playoff implications.....for their opponents. As for the champs they have first place in the AUS wrapped up and can use the weekend to fine tune for semi final Saturday at the Metro Centre on March 5th. As for UNB, an upset in Sydney would give them four points in the standings and their first playoff game in the Brent Baker era. The Reds can still make the playoffs even with a pair of weekend losses if one of the following happens; UPEI loses both their games at X and CBU or SMU loses to Dal or Acadia drops one game to MUN. However UNB would definitely want to finish fourth or fifth and avoid a first round match up with the X-Men.
UNB (8-10, 20 pts) at CBU (17-1, 46 pts)
The Capers finish the season with a weekend set of pivotal home games ripe with playoff implications.....for their opponents. As for the champs they have first place in the AUS wrapped up and can use the weekend to fine tune for semi final Saturday at the Metro Centre on March 5th. As for UNB, an upset in Sydney would give them four points in the standings and their first playoff game in the Brent Baker era. The Reds can still make the playoffs even with a pair of weekend losses if one of the following happens; UPEI loses both their games at X and CBU or SMU loses to Dal or Acadia drops one game to MUN. However UNB would definitely want to finish fourth or fifth and avoid a first round match up with the X-Men.
UPEI (7-11, 18 pts) at St FX (13-5, 34 pts)
For the story of this game basically see above and substitute X for CBU and UPEI for UNB. The X-Men are locked in as the third seed at AUS Championships and are basically trying to work on chemistry and getting healthy. The Panthers are desperate for a win tonight versus the X-Men or tomorrow night at Cape Breton. Amongst other scenarios, if Acadia sweeps the last place Seahawks in Wolfville, and UPEI loses both their games, the Panthers will be out of the playoffs. Basically if the Panthers can pull off a shocker tonight or tomorrow, their in. If they don't, they'll have to cheer for Memorial to pull of a shocker at Acadia.
Here are the standings and tiebreakers for the AUS as we approach final weekend.
1. Cape Breton (clinched bye)
2. Dalhousie (clinched bye)
3. Saint Francis Xavier (clinched third place)
4. UNB 20 pts ( at CBU (4) at X (4) )
5. SMU 20 pts (at Dal )
6. UPEI 18 pts (at CBU (4) at X (4) )
7. Acadia 14 pts ( 2 games vs MUN (8) )
8. MUN (out of playoffs)
For the story of this game basically see above and substitute X for CBU and UPEI for UNB. The X-Men are locked in as the third seed at AUS Championships and are basically trying to work on chemistry and getting healthy. The Panthers are desperate for a win tonight versus the X-Men or tomorrow night at Cape Breton. Amongst other scenarios, if Acadia sweeps the last place Seahawks in Wolfville, and UPEI loses both their games, the Panthers will be out of the playoffs. Basically if the Panthers can pull off a shocker tonight or tomorrow, their in. If they don't, they'll have to cheer for Memorial to pull of a shocker at Acadia.
Here are the standings and tiebreakers for the AUS as we approach final weekend.
1. Cape Breton (clinched bye)
2. Dalhousie (clinched bye)
3. Saint Francis Xavier (clinched third place)
4. UNB 20 pts ( at CBU (4) at X (4) )
5. SMU 20 pts (at Dal )
6. UPEI 18 pts (at CBU (4) at X (4) )
7. Acadia 14 pts ( 2 games vs MUN (8) )
8. MUN (out of playoffs)
In case of last place tie;
UNB has tiebreaker on SMU
UPEI has tiebreaker on Acadia
UNB has tiebreaker on SMU
UPEI has tiebreaker on Acadia
Confused? Should be a wacky final weekend. My prediction is this:
4. Acadia – 22 pts
5. UNB -20 pts.
6. SMU – 20 pts.
7. UPEI – 18 pts (out of playoffs)
That would make Friday's matchups at AUS Championships the following;
#4 Acadia vs # 5UNB
#3 St FX vs #6 SMU
The X-Men vs Joey Haywood could be alot of fun! But don't count out a resilient group of Panthers from winning a game this weekend, and remember the Axemen are 1-10 in their last 11 and could easily lose a game at home to Memorial.
It will be interesting drama to say the least.
4. Acadia – 22 pts
5. UNB -20 pts.
6. SMU – 20 pts.
7. UPEI – 18 pts (out of playoffs)
That would make Friday's matchups at AUS Championships the following;
#4 Acadia vs # 5UNB
#3 St FX vs #6 SMU
The X-Men vs Joey Haywood could be alot of fun! But don't count out a resilient group of Panthers from winning a game this weekend, and remember the Axemen are 1-10 in their last 11 and could easily lose a game at home to Memorial.
It will be interesting drama to say the least.
Sportstream.ca is the official webcaster of the Subway AUS Men's Basketball Championships. Follow us on twitter @_sportstream_.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
AUS Gameday; Huskies Travel to Wolfville for Critical Games vs Acadia
Owen Klassen's Axemen are in the driver's seat for a playoff berth as the AUS regular season winds down.by Bill McLean
Saint Mary's (8-10, 18 pts) at Acadia (9-8, 17 pts)
Both teams have clinched playoff spots and are essentially battling for fifth or sixth place. If the season ended today the Huskies would have to play the X-Women in the AUS quarter finals. while Acadia would have to play the host team Memorial, so it's essentially pick your poison.
Pundits and fans still are not sure if these teams have underachieved or if they just are not as good as the top four. Certainly on paper they each have considerable assets. The Huskies feature the nation's leading scorer in Justine Colley and a solid starting lineup consisting of Susanne Canvin and Robbi Daley. Meanwhile the Axewomen have the Duinker sisters, Abby and Emma leading the way along with outstanding rookies in Kristy Moore and Ariel Smith. Throw in the plucky point guard Stephanie Chapman, who literally stole a victory away from Dalhousie last month, and the Axewomen seem to have the pieces for a championship run.
The problem for both teams has been a considerable lack of depth off the bench, and a lack of quickness on the perimeter. They match up very well against each other, but against teams like X, UNB, and CBU which feature quick and athletic guards, both teams struggle to defend.
Both teams are very capable of making an impact at AUS playoffs. The Axewomen are the hotter team coming in, having gone 8-4 in their last 12 games. The Huskies have only played three games this month due to the Canada Games taking over the Tower and had lost four of five before beating the Tigers by 20 last week.
The Huskies beat Acadia in the season opener at the Tower 92-86, but Acadia has won the last two meetings, 71-50 in Wolfville and 68-65 back at Saint Mary's.
Both teams have clinched playoff spots and are essentially battling for fifth or sixth place. If the season ended today the Huskies would have to play the X-Women in the AUS quarter finals. while Acadia would have to play the host team Memorial, so it's essentially pick your poison.
Pundits and fans still are not sure if these teams have underachieved or if they just are not as good as the top four. Certainly on paper they each have considerable assets. The Huskies feature the nation's leading scorer in Justine Colley and a solid starting lineup consisting of Susanne Canvin and Robbi Daley. Meanwhile the Axewomen have the Duinker sisters, Abby and Emma leading the way along with outstanding rookies in Kristy Moore and Ariel Smith. Throw in the plucky point guard Stephanie Chapman, who literally stole a victory away from Dalhousie last month, and the Axewomen seem to have the pieces for a championship run.
The problem for both teams has been a considerable lack of depth off the bench, and a lack of quickness on the perimeter. They match up very well against each other, but against teams like X, UNB, and CBU which feature quick and athletic guards, both teams struggle to defend.
Both teams are very capable of making an impact at AUS playoffs. The Axewomen are the hotter team coming in, having gone 8-4 in their last 12 games. The Huskies have only played three games this month due to the Canada Games taking over the Tower and had lost four of five before beating the Tigers by 20 last week.
The Huskies beat Acadia in the season opener at the Tower 92-86, but Acadia has won the last two meetings, 71-50 in Wolfville and 68-65 back at Saint Mary's.
Saint Mary's (6-12, 18 pts) at Acadia (5-12, 14 pts)
One look at the standings and you would think this would be a desperate game for the Axemen considering they trail the Huskies and UPEI by four points for the last playoff spot.
Upon closer examination it's the Huskies that could really use a win if they are to make the AUS playoffs. After tonight, Acadia has a weekend set in Wolfville versus the last place Memorial Seahawks with eight points in the standings up for grabs. Assuming (and certainly it's not a safe assumption considering the play of the Axemen in 2011) that Acadia gets those eight points on the final weekend, you can basically look at the bottom half of the standings like this before tonight's game;
4. Acadia 22 pts Games remaining: vs. SMU (2)
5. UNB 20 pts Games remaining: at CBU (4) at X (4)
6. SMU 18 pts Games remaining: at Acadia (2) at Dal (2)
7. UPEI 18 pts Games remaining: at CBU (4) at X (4)
Hard to believe isn't it? As bad as Acadia has been they are in the driver's seat for the #4 seed at AUS playoffs.
The Huskies hold the tiebreaker with UPEI, so if both teams finish with 18 points, SMU would qualify as the sixth seed and the Panthers would be out. Essentially, barring a major upset by Memorial over the weekend, the Panthers have to go in to Antigonish or Sydney and come out with a win.
No easy task.
Tonight's game features the nation's leading scorer Joey Haywood versus arguably the best inside/outside player in the conference, Acadia's Owen Klassen. Haywood is in the race for AUS MVP while a strong finish by the Axemen could secure Klassen a spot as a First Team All Star.
Acadia broke a nine game losing skid on Sunday with a buzzer beating tip in by Alex Mclaughlin vs. Dalhousie. The Huskies have lost five in a row including two heart breakers at the Tower to the X-Men and Capers when Saint Mary's seemed to have each game in hand.
The Axemen have had the Huskies number this season beating them 97-90 in the season opener at the Tower and 91-81 in Wolfville. The Huskies got a measure of revenge last month with a 96-80 win in Halifax.
Game Notes
Joey Haywood is leading the nation in scoring with an average of 29 ppg. I had an interview earlier this month with Joey (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxRqWfHOru0) ..... Tory Fassett is in the running for an AUS Second team all star spot, averaging 17 points and 6 rebounds......Owen Klassen is averaging 18 pts and 10 rebs this season for the Axemen......Anthony Sears averages 17 ppg for Acadia......The Axemen victory over Dal on Sunday was by virtue of a spirited fourth quarter comeback. Owen Klassen's three pointer came up short but Alex McLaughlin was there with a very difficult tip in to win it at the buzzer.....Acadia is the lowest scoring team in the conference while the Huskies are second to last in points allowed per game.
One look at the standings and you would think this would be a desperate game for the Axemen considering they trail the Huskies and UPEI by four points for the last playoff spot.
Upon closer examination it's the Huskies that could really use a win if they are to make the AUS playoffs. After tonight, Acadia has a weekend set in Wolfville versus the last place Memorial Seahawks with eight points in the standings up for grabs. Assuming (and certainly it's not a safe assumption considering the play of the Axemen in 2011) that Acadia gets those eight points on the final weekend, you can basically look at the bottom half of the standings like this before tonight's game;
4. Acadia 22 pts Games remaining: vs. SMU (2)
5. UNB 20 pts Games remaining: at CBU (4) at X (4)
6. SMU 18 pts Games remaining: at Acadia (2) at Dal (2)
7. UPEI 18 pts Games remaining: at CBU (4) at X (4)
Hard to believe isn't it? As bad as Acadia has been they are in the driver's seat for the #4 seed at AUS playoffs.
The Huskies hold the tiebreaker with UPEI, so if both teams finish with 18 points, SMU would qualify as the sixth seed and the Panthers would be out. Essentially, barring a major upset by Memorial over the weekend, the Panthers have to go in to Antigonish or Sydney and come out with a win.
No easy task.
Tonight's game features the nation's leading scorer Joey Haywood versus arguably the best inside/outside player in the conference, Acadia's Owen Klassen. Haywood is in the race for AUS MVP while a strong finish by the Axemen could secure Klassen a spot as a First Team All Star.
Acadia broke a nine game losing skid on Sunday with a buzzer beating tip in by Alex Mclaughlin vs. Dalhousie. The Huskies have lost five in a row including two heart breakers at the Tower to the X-Men and Capers when Saint Mary's seemed to have each game in hand.
The Axemen have had the Huskies number this season beating them 97-90 in the season opener at the Tower and 91-81 in Wolfville. The Huskies got a measure of revenge last month with a 96-80 win in Halifax.
Game Notes
Joey Haywood is leading the nation in scoring with an average of 29 ppg. I had an interview earlier this month with Joey (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxRqWfHOru0) ..... Tory Fassett is in the running for an AUS Second team all star spot, averaging 17 points and 6 rebounds......Owen Klassen is averaging 18 pts and 10 rebs this season for the Axemen......Anthony Sears averages 17 ppg for Acadia......The Axemen victory over Dal on Sunday was by virtue of a spirited fourth quarter comeback. Owen Klassen's three pointer came up short but Alex McLaughlin was there with a very difficult tip in to win it at the buzzer.....Acadia is the lowest scoring team in the conference while the Huskies are second to last in points allowed per game.
Sportstream.ca is the webcasting home of the Saint Mary's Huskies and the Subway AUS Men's Basketball Championships. Follow us on twitter @_sportstream_.
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