Game Times (PST)

Canada West conference games 

FRIDAY, NOV 4th, 2016:
6 PM | Basketball (W) (0-0) vs the Trinity Western Spartans (0-0)
Webcast | Live Stats 

SATURDAY, NOV 5th, 2016:
5 PM |  Basketball (W) vs the Trinity Western Spartans
Webcast | Live Stats

Ticket Information | All matches to be played at the Gymnasium at UBC Okanagan.

UBC OKANAGAN HEAT (15-13, 10-8 Canada West)

KELOWNA, B.C – The UBC Okanagan women's basketball team will finally get their season started this coming weekend at home and will be looking to begin with a win. With coach Claire Meadows entering her second season as the head coach, the Heat will be starting their 2016-17 campaign when they play their home openers against Trinity Western University this weekend. These two B.C. teams will open the weekend on Friday (Nov. 4) with a game that will begin at 6 p.m. The second game between the two teams will be played Saturday (Nov. 5) with a start time of 5 p.m. Both the games will take place at the UBC Okanagan gymnasium.

2015-16 Season – The Heat finished their previous season with their best record to date since entering Canada West in 2011. With 10 win and 10 losses the Heat were able to claim the fourth place spot in the Explorers Division.  

New Division - With the two year trial of the Explorer and Pioneer Division completed, their is now a revamped the schedule and format for Canada West. The new scheduled is highlighted with feature matches against four geographical, or historical opponents every year, for UBCO those teams are: TRU, UBC, Fraser Valley, and Victoria. The remaining 12 games will be against six of the remaining 12 opponents every other year. With 12 of the 17 teams making it to the post season at the end of the year, the competition will be tough right out the gate.

Pre-Season – The women's basketball team has played ten games in their pre-season, winning nine and losing just a single contest, however it was in their last exhibition game on their schedule. After such a solid pre-season the Heat look to keep their solid play up this weekend on the hardwood versus Trinity Western.

Key Performer:  Emily Kanester (G/5) – Emily is entering her 5th year of eligibility and finished the last season with 31 three point shots and 43 steals. With her last season underway this Vernon native will be looking to compete and provide leadership to the Heat. Much attention early on will be paid to Kanester's point total this weekend. The Vernon product has totaled 879 points in her four seasons and is just 21 points away from 900 career points with UBC Okanagan. When she reaches that mark, Kanester will pass Roz Huber (899 points) as the Heat women's all-time leading scorer.

Key Stat – The Heat had an inconsistent scoring rate last season as they averaged 56.9 points per game, putting them at the end of the pack in scoring. But with two fifth years in Emily Kanester and Chloe Kennedy, who have seemed to found their scoring touch in the exhibition part of the schedule. Add to that Nicole Hart, a six foot two freshman post with a scoring touch and that scoring average will be sure to improve in 2016/17.

Head Coach – Claire Meadows (2nd season)

Head to Head : With their last regular season head to head in the Heat's 2013-14 season, the Spartans currently lead (5-1).

preseason preview courtesy of Canadawest.org

2015/16 Canada West regular season ranks:
Offence: 59.9 ppg, 15th
Defence: 59.8 papg, 5th

Key losses (name / position / hometown / years with program):
Robyn Aulin-Haynes / P / North Vancouver, BC / 1

TRINITY WESTERN SPARTANS (1-4, 0-0 Canada West)            

CIS National Ranking: N/A
CanWest Standings: N/A
Last week: N/A
Streak:  N/A
2015-16 CW Regular Season Record: 8-12, 7th in Pioneer Division
2015-16 CW Playoff Record: 1-2, 9th (tied)
2015-16 Overall Record: N/A
Last CW Title/Total CW Titles: none
Last CIS Title/Total CIS Titles: none

Trinity Western University - The Spartans begin their new campaign on the road as they will travel to UBC Okanagan this weekend (November 4 and 5). The Spartans coming off of a tough season in  2015-16 and will be looking to improve their performance when they visit UBC Okanagan this weekend.

2015-16 Season – The previous conference saw the Spartans  finish with eight wins and 12 losses, placing them seventh in the Pioneers division last season.

Preseason – The preseason has seen the Spartans win one game and five losses from the six games they have played before their season begins. The team will be looking to improve their play as they will head on the to play the Heat this weekend.

Key performer: Kayla Gordon (F / 4 / Prince George, BC) -- Gordon has a motor that never quits and will once again be both an emotional leader for the Spartans as well as an on-court producer. Last year, she averaged 12.3 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game and 1.5 steals per game and this year she looks primed to take yet another big step forward in her game.

Head Coach-  Cheryl Jean-Paul (8th Season)

2015/16 Canada West regular season ranks:
Offence: 63.2, 11th
Defence: 71.8, 12th

2015/16 Canada West regular season leaders:
Points per game: 14.2 – Tessa Ratzlaff, F
Assists per game: 5.1 – Luca Schmidt, G
Rebounds per game: 6.7 – Tessa Ratzlaff, F
Blocks per game: 0.6 – Tessa Ratzlaff, F

Key additions (name / position / eligibility / hometown / last team):
Juliet King / F / 1 / Duncan, BC / Duncan Christian
Julia Marshall / G / 1 / Langley, BC / Brookswood
Grace Guderyan / F / 1 / Calgary, AB / St. Francis
Teanna Bradshaw / F / 1 / Oshawa, Ont. / O'Neill CVI

Key losses (name / position / hometown / years with program):
Kristin Ford / F / Okotoks, AB / 5

preseason preview courtesy of Canadawest.org