March 11, 2012

OTTAWA (CIS) – The Regina Cougars are the tournament favourites, while their provincial counterparts the Saskatchewan Huskies earned the wild card for next weekend’s CIS women’s basketball Final 8 at the University of Calgary.

The seeding was announced Sunday for the 2012 CIS tourney set to kick off Saturday at the Jack Simpson Gym. The eight-team competition concludes next Monday, March 19 with the gold medal final at 7 p.m. Mountain (9 p.m. ET).
 
Shaw TV and NBA TV Canada will carry the two Sunday semifinal games live. Shaw TV will also carry the final live, while NBA TV Canada will broadcast the game on a two-hour tape delay. SSN Canada will have live webcasts of all 11 contests, including the main and consolation brackets.
 
Rounding out the seeding behind the Cougars are the No. 2 UBC Thunderbirds (Canada West champions), No. 3 Ottawa Gee-Gees (OUA champions), No. 4 and defending champion Windsor Lancers (East Regional champions), No. 5 Acadia Axewomen (AUS champions), No. 6 Huskies (wild card), No. 7 McGill Martlets (RSEQ champions) and No. 8 Calgary Dinos (host).
 
The Cougars, who had their undefeated streak snapped at 23 games in the Canada West final against UBC, were awarded the No. 1 seed after holding that ranking all season in the CIS Top 10. They earned their ticket to the Final 8 after winning the West Regional Saturday night with an 85-62 win over Brock. Regina will face the host Dinos in the last quarter-final on Saturday at 7 p.m. MT.
 
The Huskies, who lost the West Regional semi-final to Brock Friday night, were selected as the wild card entry by the committee and enter as the No. 6 seed.
 
The Thunderbirds will open the tournament against McGill at noon Saturday. Other first-round contests will see Ottawa battle Saskatchewan at 2 p.m. and defending champion Windsor taking on Acadia at 5 p.m.
 
With their first-ever championship on their home floor a year ago, the Lancers snapped Canada West’s vice-like grip on the Bronze Baby after teams from the West (including the now defunct Great Plains conference) had won 19 consecutive banners, dating back to 1991.

The CIS all-Canadians and major award winners will be announced on Friday night.

Note: A complete championship preview will follow on Tuesday.

SEEDING

1. Regina Cougars (West Regional champions: 20-0 regular season / 5-1 playoffs)
2. UBC Thunderbirds (Canada West champions: 15-3 regular season / 4-0 playoffs)
3. Ottawa Gee-Gees (OUA champions: 19-3 regular season / 4-1 playoffs)
4. Windsor Lancers (East Regional champions: 20-2 regular season / 4-1 playoffs)
5. Acadia Axewomen (AUS champions: 17-3 regular season / 2-0 playoffs)
6. Saskatchewan Huskies (Wild card: 15-5 regular season / 3-2 playoffs)
7. McGill Martlets (RSEQ champions: 11-5 regular season / 2-0 playoffs)
8. Calgary Dinos (Host: 14-6 regular season / 0-2 playoffs)

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE (all times MOUNTAIN TIME)

NOTE: Live webcast of all games on SSN Canada (ssncanada.ca). Semifinals will be broadcast live on Shaw TV and NBA TV Canada, and the final will be broadcast live on Shaw TV and on a two-hour tape delay on NBA TV Canada.

Friday, March 16
8:00 to 16:00 Team Practices
18:00 All Canadian Gala (Sheraton Suites Eau Claire)
 
Saturday, March 17
12:00 Quarter-final #1: No. 7 McGill vs. No. 2 UBC
14:00 Quarter-final #2: No. 6 Saskatchewan vs. No. 3 Ottawa
17:00 Quarter-final #3: No. 5 Acadia vs. No. 4 Windsor
19:00 Quarter-final #4: No. 8 Calgary vs. No. 1 Regina
 
Sunday, March 18
12:00 Consolation #1: Loser QF #1 vs. Loser QF #2
14:00 Consolation #2: Loser QF #3 vs. Loser QF #4
17:00 Semifinal #1: Winner QF #1 vs. Winner QF #2 (LIVE on Shaw TV and NBA TV Canada)
19:00 Semifinal #2: Winner QF #3 vs. Winner QF #4 (LIVE on Shaw TV and NBA TV Canada)
 
Monday, March 19
13:00 5th place
15:00 Bronze medal
19:00 Championship final (LIVE on Shaw TV / tape delay 9 p.m. MT on NBA TV Canada)

-CIS-