Mitsubishi Top Ten Tuesday: T-Birds new No. 1 in men's hoops, Clan women back on top

OTTAWA (CIS) - A weekend sweep over a division archrival not only moved the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds to 6-0 on the season, it sent them flying to the top of the CIS men's basketball rankings for the first time in three years.

The T-Birds received all 40 first-place vote in this week's national coaches poll to move past the Carleton Ravens and reach the top of the rankings for the first time since they were No. 1 for six straight weeks in the second half of the 2005-06 campaign.

UBC is the only undefeated team in Canada West after three weeks of conference play following a pair of road victories against Pacific Division rival, No. 7 Victoria. The T-Birds prevailed 65-57 and 86-77.

The reigning Canada West champions hit the road again this weekend to face Brandon (2-2) and Regina (2-2).

Carleton, which had led the first two polls of the season and all 14 rankings in 2007-08, travelled to Windsor Friday for its regular season opener and fell to the No. 4 Lancers (1-1), 80-68. The Ravens quickly rebounded with a 79-74 defeat of Western on Saturday.

In women's hoops, Alberta's reign as the No. 1 team in the nation lasted only one week as the Pandas (3-1) were defeated 72-62 by the No. 2 Simon Fraser Clan (4-1) Friday night in Burnaby, B.C.

The Clan's victory came three days after Alberta put an end to SFU's domination of the CIS Top 10. The defending Canada West champions had led the first two polls of 2008-09 and all 14 rankings a year ago.

In cross country, the Guelph Gryphons lead the final polls of the season after sweeping both team banners at the CIS championships Saturday in Quebec City. The Gryphons were capturing double gold for a CIS record third straight year.

Other schools leading CIS rankings this week include McGill in women's hockey, Alberta in men's hockey and men's volleyball, and Montreal in women's volleyball.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
(regular season record) / (votes) / (previous rankings)

1. Simon Fraser (4-1) / 424 pts / (2)
2. Alberta (3-1) / 388 / (1)
3. Winnipeg (5-1) / 320 / (7)
4. Regina (3-1) / 304 / (8)
5. Windsor (3-1) / 283 / (3)
6. Calgary (4-2) / 230 / (6)
7. Saskatchewan (2-2) / 199 / (4)
8. UQAM (0-0) / 150 / (9)
9. Dalhousie (0-2) / 122 / (5)
10. Memorial (2-0) / 75 pts / (NR)

Also receiving votes: Victoria (46), Laurentian (41), Laval (15), Toronto (9).


MEN'S BASKETBALL
(regular season record) / (votes - first place) / (previous rankings)

1. UBC (6-0) / 480 - 40 / (2)
2. Carleton (1-1) / 425 / (1)
3. Concordia (0-0) / 392 / (3)
4. Windsor (1-1) / 367 / (4)
5. StFX (1-0) / 315 / (6)
6. Calgary (5-1) / 280 / (7)
7. Victoria (4-2) / 247 / (5)
8. Ottawa (1-1) / 186 / (9)
9. McGill (0-0) / 144 / (10)
10. Dalhousie (1-1) / 96 / (8)

Also receiving votes: Western Ontario (50), Cape Breton (42), Brock (39), Toronto (26), Fraser Valley (17).


WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
(points) / (previous rankings)

1. Guelph (77 pts) / (1)
2. Toronto (118) / (2)
3. Calgary (126) / (4)
4. McMaster (132) / (5)
5. Western Ontario (158) / (6)
6. Victoria (164) / (3)
7. Windsor (204) / (8)
8. Laval (237) / (T9)
9. StFX (243) / (7)
10. Queen's (247) / (T9)


MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
(points) / (previous rankings)

1. Guelph (27 pts) / (1)
2. StFX (108) / (T3)
3. Windsor (124) / (2)
4. Toronto (146) / (8)
5. Calgary (150) / (7)
T6. Western Ontario (172) / (T3)
T6. Victoria (172) / (5)
8. Sherbrooke (205) / (6)
T9. Alberta (231) / (NR)
T9. Manitoba (231) / (NR)


WOMEN'S HOCKEY
(regular season record) / (previous rankings)

1. McGill (5-0) / (1)
2. Laurier (10-0) / (2)
3. Manitoba (10-0) / (3)
4. Alberta (6-2) / (4)
5. Guelph (7-0-0-2) / (7)
6. StFX (5-2-0-1) / (5)
7. Toronto (6-3) / (6)
8. Moncton (8-0) / (10)
9. Saskatchewan (6-3-0-1) / (8)
10. Ottawa (4-2-0-1) / (9)


MEN'S HOCKEY
(regular season record) / (votes - first place) / (previous rankings)

1. Alberta (8-2) / 88 pts - 8 / (1)
2. Moncton (8-1) / 77 - 1 / (2)
3. Saskatchewan (9-4-1) / 68 / (3)
4. UQTR (9-1) / 66 / (4)
5. Acadia (6-2-1) / 55 / (5)
6. Wilfrid Laurier (8-1-1) / 44 / (6)
7. UPEI (6-2-2) / 36 / (9)
8. UNB (4-2-2) / 22 / (8)
9. Saint Mary's (5-4) / 10 / (NR) *
10. Lakehead (6-3-1) / 10 / (NR)

* Saint Mary's was awarded the higher ranking based on number of higher placed votes.

Other teams receiving votes: Manitoba (6), Carleton (4), Calgary (4), Brock (2), Concordia (2), Waterloo (1).


WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
(regular season record) / (previous rankings)

1. Montreal (9-0) / 60 pts / (1)
2. Alberta (6-0) / 56 / (2)
3. Calgary (3-1) / 52 / (4)
4. UBC (4-2) / 46 / (5)
5. Manitoba (5-1) / 45 / (3)
6. UNB (4-0) / 39 / (6)
T7. Trinity Western (1-3) / 33 / (7)
T7. Regina (4-2) / 33 / (8)
9. Brandon (5-3) / 28 / (10)
10. McGill (6-2) / 27 / (9)

Also receiving votes: Saint Mary's (19), Sherbrooke (11.5), York (11.5), Moncton (9), Western Ontario (4).


MEN'S VOLLEYBALL
(regular season record) / (votes) / (previous rankings)

1. Alberta (4-0) / 238 pts / (1)
2. McMaster (6-0) / 210 / (2)
3. Laval (3-0) / 194 / (3)
4. Calgary (3-1) / 149 / (4)
5. Winnipeg (4-0) / 116.5 / (7)
6. Dalhousie (2-0) / 113 / (5)
7. Brandon (3-3) / 91.5 / (6)
8. Thompson Rivers (3-1) / 74 / (8)
9. Trinity Western (3-1) / 55 / (10)
10. UBC (1-3) / 37.75 / (NR)