WBB: Teams hit the court at breakneck speed in first playoff action in two years
Here's your full round one recap
The Playoff return of CW women's basketball was all that one could ask for, with teams looking to make up for lost time in an already high-stakes playoff format. Win or you go home. After waiting for two years for these playoffs, going home didn't appear much of an option for anyone.
Mount Royal University and the University of Calgary played host to energy-filled, physical match-ups that sent four teams packing.
GMU vs UBCO: The MacEwan Griffins and University of British Columbia Okanagan kicked off CW’s first WBB postseason suitable: with the pent-up energy from the last two years bursting into one. A back-and-forth affair with stellar individual and team plays on both ends of the court set the tone for a thrilling playoff bracket. The game was close until the final minute, when the Griffins drained a three to give themselves a 7 seven-point cushion that the Heat could simply not overturn in the final 48 seconds. Full recap here.
UBC vs MAN: It wasn’t their gym, but the Manitoba Bisons owned the three point line in their match-up against UBC Friday at host University of Calgary. The Bisons drained 15 triples en route to a 74-55 drubbing of the Thunderbirds. The T-Birds kept it close until late in the third quarter, but the Bisons’ hot shooting proved too great a hurdle to overcome. Full game recap here.
BDN vs UNBC: The 17th-ranked Brandon Bobcats came out swinging Friday evening in a physical affair with the UNBC Timberwolves. It was a tone set from the tip, with the first play of the game resulting in a wrestling match on the hardwood. The Bobcats looked to prove they wouldn’t go down easy, hanging with UNBC into the second quarter before the latter pulled away. The Timberwolves put them away with a final score of 87-60. Game recap here.
TRU vs MRU: Mount Royal and Thompson Rivers demonstrated the beauty of playoff basketball Friday night in an electric gym as the teams put on a show for the Cougars’ home crowd. With the win-or-go-home pressure squarely on the Cougars’ shoulders in front of their fans, the team rose to the occasion, sending the WolfPack packing through a strong defensive performance. Game recap here.
Here's a look at the updated bracket:
You can purchase tickets for round two action in-person at Mount Royal University and the University of Calgary. Calgary also offers an online option here. Mount Royal's online ticket service here. Or catch all the action on Canada West TV presented by Co-op.
For game times and results, visit the CW Playoff Page.