CW Women's Basketball: 2026 Playoff Preview

Article by Brian Swane, special to CW

Feb. 11, 2026 - It’s “win or go home” time in Canada West women’s basketball, as the 2026 postseason tips off this week, with single-elimination games taking place Friday through Sunday at host sites in Langley, Regina, Saskatoon, and Vancouver.

Teams seeded fifth through twelfth will compete in the play-in round. The winners will then advance to join the top four seeds in quarterfinal action. By weekend’s end, a quartet of teams will have punched their ticket to the semifinals.

All Canada West playoff games will be broadcast live on Canada West TV – Powered by BioSteel.

CW Women's Basketball - Final Seeding

Note: Top seed alternates between divisions and opposite genders, year to year. In 2026, the first place team in the Pacific Division will be the first overall seed.

Site 1: Hosted by University of Regina

Games played at Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport in Regina, Sask.

#5 UBCO Heat (10-10) vs. #12 Brandon University Bobcats (7-13)

#4 University of Regina Cougars (17-3) vs. #5/#12 winner

The Bobcats took a huge step in 2025-26, winning more games than over the previous five seasons combined. Now they’ll look for their first postseason win since 2017 against a relatively unfamiliar opponent: Since UBCO’s inaugural Canada West season in 2011-12, the Heat and Bobcats have faced each other just nine times in conference play, with their last meeting coming in 2022.

Brandon is one of the highest-scoring teams in the conference, averaging nearly 70 points per game. Bobcats senior guard Piper Ingalls led Canada West with 55 three-pointers made in 2025-26, but UBCO has made life difficult for distance shooters all season. The Heat held the opposition to just 3.8 triples per game and a three-point shooting percentage of 22.3%, which ranked first and second, respectively, in the conference. That defensive consistency helped UBCO secure its best-ever Canada West division finish, placing third in the Pacific Division to earn the No. 5 seed. Offensively, the Heat are paced by fifth year guard Lily Pink, who ranks fifth in the conference in assists with 76, while also averaging 9.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Under the guidance of first-year head coach Michaela Kleisinger, the Cougars had a tremendous season, finishing with an average point differential of +17.5 over 20 games. At one point, Regina reeled off 15 consecutive wins, including a pair of road victories over the Bobcats by a combined 42 points. Regina faced UBCO in the play-in round of the postseason last year, defeating the Heat 64-56.

Site 2: Hosted by Trinity Western University

Games played at Langley Events Centre in Langley, B.C.

#6 University of Calgary Dinos (16-4) vs. #11 University of Manitoba Bisons (8-12)

#3 Trinity Western University Spartans (15-5) vs. #6/#11 winner

Manitoba got off to an 0-5 start, but made major strides as the season wore on, and now head into the playoffs with wins in five of its last six games. Defensive play has been a major factor in the teams’ improvement: since returning from the holiday break, the Bisons have allowed nearly 10 points per game fewer compared to the first half of their schedule.

Calgary’s only losses this season came to Regina and Saskatchewan. Otherwise, the Dinos are a perfect 16-0, including two dominant road victories over Manitoba in November, winning by a combined 47 points. Dinos senior guard Kourtney Oss is the top rebounder in Canada West, pulling down an average of 9.3 boards per game, including 3.2 off the offensive glass.

The Spartans were victorious in their last five contests, allowing only 44.2 points per game over the win streak. Trinity Western faced neither of its potential quarterfinal opponents this season, but there is quite a contrast in its history with the Dinos and Bisons: the Spartans are just 2-28 all-time in the regular season and playoffs versus Calgary, but haven’t dropped a game to Manitoba since 2011. ​

Site 3: Hosted by University of Saskatchewan

Games played at Physical Activity Complex in Saskatoon, Sask.

#7 University of the Fraser Valley Cascades (9-11) vs. #10 Mount Royal University Cougars (10-10)

#2 University of Saskatchewan Huskies (20-0) vs. #7/#10 winner

Mount Royal will look to buck history against Fraser Valley, a team they’ve only ever beaten once, and that single win happened back in 2015.

While the Cascades are led by the top scorer in Canada West, Julia Tuchscherer, who averages 17.0 points per game, defence is usually their key to victory. UFV is the only team in the Canada West playoffs to have averaged both under 60 points for and under 60 points against during the regular season. That said, low-scoring affairs seem to suit Mount Royal just fine, as the Cougars are 10-1 when scoring over 60, and 6-0 when allowing under 60.

No matter which team advances, they will have their work cut out for them against the host Huskies. The two-time defending champions ran roughshod in 2025-26, winning all 20 of their games by an average margin of 31.5 points. Saskatchewan hasn’t suffered defeat in any competition – exhibition, regular season, or playoffs – since November of 2024, and its last loss at home came more than two years ago. The Huskies were 2-0 against Mount Royal, but did not face UFV during the regular season.

Site 4: Hosted by University of British Columbia

Games played at War Memorial Gymnasium in Vancouver, B.C.

#8 University of Alberta Pandas (15-5) vs. #9 University of Victoria Vikes (9-11)

#1 University of British Columbia Thunderbirds (16-4) vs. #8/#9 winner

Alberta and Victoria meet for the first time since 2024, when the Pandas defeated the Vikes in the Canada West semi-final en route to winning the conference title. The Pandas started 10-0 before going 5-5 in the second half, with all their losses coming against the top three teams in the Prairie Division - Saskatchewan, Regina and Calgary. Alberta grabbed the most rebounds in Canada West and ranked second to only the Huskies with a point differential of +22.6.

The Vikes are one of only three playoff teams with more wins on the road than at home during the regular season. Victoria relies on a balanced offensive attack, with the team’s top four scorers all averaging between 10.1 and 12.3 points per game. That quartet includes forward Mimi Sigue, who led Canada West with a field goal percentage of 55.8%.

UBC hasn’t lost since late November, using an 11-game win streak to surge to the top of the Pacific Division standings and clinch the No. 1 overall seed for the playoffs. The T-Birds were 8-1 at War Memorial Gymnasium this season, but that one home defeat came to the Vikes in early November.