The latest BasketballBuzz CIS/ U Sports Men’s Basketball Power Rankings reflect another great week of action. We had some major upsets and a few shack-ups.
#1 Carleton Ravens – (OUA 6-0, Overall 17-6) (LW: 1)
The Ravens went into the Thunderdome and escaped with their closest margin of victory over a Canadian team. Carleton trailed at the half for the first time, but found their stroke in the second half and remained undefeated.
Previous: @Guelph Gryphons W 98-55, @Lakehead Thunderwolves W, 88-85
Up Next: Waterloo Warriors, Laurier Golden Hawks
#2 St. Francis X-Men – (AUS 4-0, Overall 12-0) (LW: 2)
Is the AUS this tough? The X-Men keep getting the opposing teams best shots and are still undefeated. They trailed the Tigers in the dying seconds but Jeremy Dunn saved the day.
Previous: Dalhousie Tigers W 81-78
Up Next: @St.Mary’s Huskies
#3 Saskatchewan Huskies – (CW 5-2, Overall 12-3) (LW: 5)
Jamelle Barrett got the go-ahead from the doctor and then proceeded to lead his Huskies squad back to the upper echelon of the Power Rankings.
Previous: Fraser Valley Cascades W, 104-95 OT, Trinity Western Spartans W, 98-73
Up Next: Idle
#4 Lakehead Thunderwolves – (OUA 5-1, Overall 13-1) (LW: 3)
The Thunderwolves fought off a late Gee-Gees rally and almost knocked off the Ravens once again. Could this be Lakehead’s year?
Previous: Ottawa Gee-Gees W, 78-72, Carleton Ravens L, 88-85
Up Next: @York Lions, @Laurentian Voyageurs
#5 Laurier Golden Hawks – (OUA 6-0, Overall 15-4) (LW: 6)
Kale Harrison had his best weekend of the season and will need to keep it going next week, with a dreaded trip to the nation’s capital.
Previous: Laurentian Voyageurs W, 98-78, York Lions W, 102-62
Up Next: @Ottawa Gee-Gees, @Carleton Ravens
#6 Concordia Stingers – (RSEQ 3-0, Overall 9-6) (LW: 8)
The Stingers head into the holidays with a perfect conference record and clearly on their way to booking another trip to nationals
Previous: Bishop Gaiters W, 71-59
Up Next: Idle
#7 Victoria Vikes – (CW 8-0, 10-5 Overall) (LW: 9)
From unranked to Top 10 at the break. The Vikes showed early signs of strong team when they played the Ravens at Laughton Classic, but nobody expected eight in a row in arguably the toughest conference in the country.
Previous: Calgary Dinos, W, 75-63, Lethbridge Pronghorns W, 90-59
Next: Idle
#8 Brock Badgers – (OUA 5-1, 12-8 Overall) (LW: 10)
They didn’t get the convincing victory over Queens that we were looking for, but they now have won four-straight? What happened to Theo Davis though? His name hasn’t appeared in the last three box-scores?
Previous: RMC Paladins W, 101-51, Queens Golden Gaels W, 69-60
Up Next: Ryerson Rams, Toronto Blues
#9 McMaster Marauders – (OUA 5-1, 12-4 Overall) (LW: 12)
Two more comfortable victories have the Marauders in the top 10 for the first time this season. McMaster is 4-0 on the road and has a great opportunity to keep building on their early success with quality opponents coming to Burridge Gymnasium.
Previous: Queens Golden Gaels W, 89-62, RMC Paladins W, 98-51
Up Next: Toronto Blues, Ryerson Rams
#10 UPEI Panthers – (AUS 6-0, 10-2 Overall) (LW: 13)
Yeap, the Panthers continue to climb up the rankings and go into second-half of the season undefeated in the AUS.
Previous: Acadia Axemen W, 98-89, Acadia Axemen W, 67-64
Up Next: Idle
#11 Alberta Bears – (CW 6-2, Overall 11-6) (LW: 14)
The Bears led from start to finish against both opponents last week and head into the break with a 2-2 road record that surely will be tested in the new year.
Previous: Trinity Western Spartans W, 87-77, Fraser Valley Cascades W, 79-57
Up Next: Idle
#12 Fraser Valley Cascades – (CW 5-3, Overall 13-7) (LW: 7)
The Cascades dropped two games on the road and fall from the Top 10 for the first time.
Previous: @Saskatchewan Huskies L, 95-104 OT, @Alberta Golden Bears L, 57-79,
Up Next: Idle
#13 Ottawa Gee-Gees – (OUA 3-3, 10-10 Overall) (LW: 13)
Played the Thunderwolves tough until the very end and nearly allowed the Gryphons to steal one on their home floor.
Previous:@Lakehead Thunderwolves L, 72-78, @Guelph Gryphons W, 83-77
Up Next: Laurier Golden Hawks, Waterloo Warriors
#14 Windsor Lancers – (OUA 3-3, Overall 8-15) (LW: 16)
The Lancers showed some resiliency after they fell-behind by 24-points in the first-half against the Blues. Two relatively easy games to wrap-up the first-half of the season.
Previous: @Ryerson Rams W, 83-66, @Toronto Blues L, 81-86
Up Next: RMC Paladins, Queens Golden Gaels
#15 UBC Thunderbirds – (CW 4-2, Overall 11-7) (LW: 4)
Steep drop, but you simply can not lose two games on the road to the middle of the pack opponents. The Pronghorns are dangerous, but a loss to a depleted Dinos line-up didn’t help.
Previous: Lethbridge Pronghorns, L, 80-90, Calgary Dinos L, 85-92,
Up Next: Idle
#16 Acadia Axemen – (AUS 4-3, 10-6 Overall) (LW: 11)
Very disappointing trip to the Chi Wan Young Sport Centre. Nearly pulled off the second game by outscoring the Panthers 17-7. Outside Klassen, nobody has step-up as of lately.
Previous: UPEI Panthers L 98-89, UPEI Panthers L, 64-67
Up Next: Idle
#17 Manitoba Bisons – (CW 4-4, 8-6 Overall) (LW: 20)
The Bisons proved too much for the Wesmen in the battle of Winnipeg.
Previous: Winnipeg Wesmen W, 87-70
Up Next: Winnipeg Wesmen
#18 Cape Breton Capers – (AUS 3-2, 7-6 Overall) (LW: 23)
The Capers grabbed two key road victories over Varsity Reds and remain a dangerous team with enough firepower to upset anybody in the country.
Previous: UNB Varsity Reds W, 76-71, UNB Varsity Reds W, 82-54
Up Next: St. Mary’s Huskies
#19 Waterloo Warriors – (OUA 4-2, 8-7 Overall) (LW: 18)
The Warriors defence allowed two big quarters to the high scoring Voyageurs. This could be the start of a long losing stream.
Previous: York Lions W, 100-56, Laurentian Voyageurs L, 72-83
Up Next: @Carleton Ravens, @Ottawa Gee-Gees
#20 Thompson Rivers Wolfpack – (CW 4-4, 7-8 Overall) (LW: 24)
Wolfpack behind long-time SFU Clan head coach Scott Allen has already tied the total amount of victories (4-20) from last year’s conference play.
Previous: Brandon Bobcats, W, 90-80, Regina Cougars W, 100-100
Up Next: Idle
#21 Lethbridge Pronghorns (CW 4-4, 4-8 Overall) (LW: 24)
Shocked the nation with a surprising victory over the previously undefeated UBC Thunderbirds
Previous: UBC Thunderbirds, W, 91-84, Victoria Vikes L, 59-90
Up Next: Idle
#22 Trinity Western Spartans – (CW 2-6, Overall 7-8) (LW: 17)
The Spartans close out the first half of the season on a four-game losing streak and will need to pretty much run the table in the second semester. The schedule does get softer in the new year.
Previous: Alberta Golden Bears L, 77-87, Saskatchewan Huskies L, 73-98
Up Next: Idle
#23 Laurentian Voyageurs – (OUA 2-4, 9-9 Overall) (LW: 19)<
The Voyageurs snapped out of a three-game funk with a victory over Waterloo, but look no more threatening than a middle to bottom OUA team.
Previous: Laurier Golden Hawks L, 77-98, Waterloo Warriors W, 83-72
Up Next: @Guelph Gryphons, @Lakehead Thunderwolves
#24 Toronto Blues – (OUA 3-3, 8-8 Overall) (LW: NR)
The Blues find themselves in the Top 25 after two narrow victories at home. Doesn’t necessarily mean that they will stay here.
Previous: Western Mustangs W, 83-79, Windsor Lancers W, 86-81
Up Next: @McMaster Marauders, @Brock Badgers
#25 Mcgill Redmen – (RSEQ 3-2, Overall 8-13) (LW: NR )
The Redmen return to the power rankings and are currently on a two-game winning streak after having scored 35 points in a game against UQAM.
Previous: UQAM Citadins L, 68-80, Bishop gaiters, W 82-57
Up Next: @Laval
Dropped from previous week
UQAM Citadins – (RSEQ 2-2, Overall 7-11) (LW: 24)
Regina Cougars – (CW 2-6, 4-9 Overall) (LW: 20)
Legend
*LW – Last Week
*NR – Not Ranked
Conferences
*OUA (Ontario University Association
*CW (Canada West)
*AUS (Atlantic University Sport)
*RSEQ (Réseau du Sport Etudiant du Québec)
