Road to the Bronze Baby: New format adds to challenge

OTTAWA (CIS) - The goal of every CIS women’s basketball player is to be standing on the court in March as part of the championship team. While that objective hasn’t changed this season, the route teams take on the Road to the Bronze Baby looks a little different than in past years.

While the host University of Windsor Lancers and the four regional association champions receive automatic berths in the Final 8, the last three teams will be determined via as many regional tournaments held across the country. Twelve teams from across CIS’ four conferences will get a second chance to win a trip to Windsor and a shot at a national title.

In the East Regional, the AUS runner-up will host the third-place and fifth-place OUA teams as well as the fourth-place team from Canada West. The Central Regional is hosted by the OUA runner-up and also features the third- and fifth-place teams from Canada West and AUS’ third-place team. Hosting the West Regional will be the Canada West runner-up with the second-place team from RSEQ, OUA’s fourth-place team, and an at-large berth rounding out the field.

From now until the end of the season we’re going to take a look each week to see how the various conferences are shaping up, and what it all means on the Road to the Bronze Baby.

With only a few weeks left to go in the regular schedule there are only two conferences with clear leaders atop the standings. The Cape Breton Capers, ranked eighth in the CIS, hold a comfortable eight-point lead in the AUS with a trio of teams (UNB, StFX and Memorial) tied for second place behind. In Quebec the McGill Martlets have a 9-1 record and a six-point lead over their closest competition, UQAM and Concordia, who are tied for second in RSEQ.

CIS’ biggest conference, the OUA, sees thirteen teams in playoff contention for five spots in the CIS championship. Currently the third-ranked Western Mustangs and fourth ranked Carleton Ravens sit atop their respective divisions, although neither holds more than a four-point lead over their closest competitors.

Finally, in Canada West six of the eight playoff teams have already been decided although the seeding of those teams is very much in question. The conference is lead by the number-one ranked Saskatchewan Huskies, however the Huskies hold only a two point lead over the three schools tied for second (Victoria, Alberta, and Regina) and a four-point lead over Winnipeg. UBC has already clinched the final playoff spot leaving Calgary, Fraser Valley, Thomspon Rivers and Manitoba fighting to be the final two playoff teams.

What’s it all mean?

If the season ended today and each team kept their current ranking through their respective conference playoffs, here’s what the CIS women’s basketball championship would look like:

NOTE: Seeding did not factor in any conference tiebreakers.

AUS Champion: Cape Breton
RSEQ Champion: McGill
OUA Champion: Carleton
CWUAA Champion: Saskatchewan
CIS Final 8 Host: Windsor

The Round 1 Regional events would then shape up as follows:

East Regional
Host/AUS 2: UNB
OUA 3: Toronto
CWUAA 4: Victoria
OUA 5: Laurier

Central Regional
Host/OUA 2: Western
CWUAA 3: Alberta
AUS 3: Saint Mary’s
CWUAA 5: Winnipeg

West Regional
Host/CWUAA 2: Regina
RSEQ 2: UQAM
OUA 4: Ottawa
At Large Berth: Selected by committee (must have competed in their conference playoffs)

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