U Sports basketball is delayed but not down. The Canadian university sports governing body has pushed back the dates of the men’s and women’s national championships by four weeks. The men’s championship is now April 1-3 in Edmonton and the women’s March 31 to April 3 in Kingston, Ont.
That will allow time to make up for the widespread postponements across the country due to the pandemic. The University of Victoria Vikes men’s team, which has had all four scheduled Canada West games following the Christmas break postponed, returns to action tonight and Saturday for the first time in more than two months when it faces arch-nemesis UBC Thunderbirds at CARSA gymnasium.
“The guys are excited. That goes without saying. All hands are on deck,” said UVic head coach Craig Beaucamp.
The Vikes, which had Omicron run through the team, head in with only one week of full five-on-five practice in two months.
“Are we in mid-season form? Probably not,” said Beaucamp.
“And to be playing a very good team in rivalry games makes it even more of a challenge. It is what it is. But it could be last year when there were no games. You appreciate what you have.”
Rust and timing could be an issue, but Beaucamp said that can be overcome with playing hard and relying on fundamentals.
It is an unusual situation for a marquee mid-season match-up with UBC 13-0 and UVic 7-1.
“Throw in the rivalry angle — there’s always that little extra when UVic plays UBC in any sport,” said Beaucamp.
The UVic Vikes women’s team, meanwhile, returned to Canada West action last weekend after two postponed games. The Vikes (6-4) swept the Thompson Rivers WolfPack (1-14) 71-51 and 78-75 in Kamloops. Ashlyn Day led UVic with 21 points in the first game and shooting-guard Calli McMillan with 24 points in the second game with Day adding 21.
The Thunderbirds enter CARSA gym at 5-7. The women’s games are today at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m. and the men’s games today at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 5 p.m.
