U SPORTS Women’s Basketball Final Four Preview
Storylines to watch for each of Canada’s final four women’s teams as they compete for a national title
UNB Reds guard Kylee Speedy drives to the hoop during the AUS women’s basketball championship at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax on February 22nd. Photo BY Tim Krochak
History will be made on Sunday, and 3 of the 4 remaining teams contending for a national title have never won in their school’s history. With that being said, the UNB Reds have a chance to make even more history, as they are two victories away from becoming the first-ever AUS women’s basketball team to win a national championship. This is the best weekend of the year in university basketball, and we broke down the key storylines for each team going into the final four.
University of New Brunswick Reds
Top Players: Katie Butts, Kylee Speedy, Katie McAffee
Record: 18-2
After the #1-seeded TMU Bold were upset in the national quarterfinal, these UNB Red’s will go into the final four as the highest-seeded team remaining, with an opportunity to become the first AUS school to ever win a national championship in women’s basketball. This team has looked the part every step of the journey, blowing out every team they faced in the AUS Championship two weekends ago on route to capturing their first conference title since 1999. Katie Butt is the focal point of everything this team does on both sides of the ball, and the senior will look to build on her 33-point, 15-rebound performance in the team’s quarterfinal route of the Carleton Ravens. The Red’s have a top 3 offence in the country this season, but they’ll face a difficult task in the national semi-finals as they will face a Calgary team who lead the country in turnovers forced.
2.The Calgary Dinos
Top Players: Pollyanna Storie, Amelie Collin (National DPOTY), Kourtney Oss
Record: 27-4
This Dino’s team looked excellent in their quarterfinal matchup against McGill, as their #1 ranked defence held the Marlet’s to the fewest points of any team so far in this tournament. Led by Pollyanna Storie and national defensive player of the year Amelie Collin, the Dinos head into their quarterfinal matchup with a similar opportunity to make school history and earn the right to play for a national championship on Sunday night.
3. Saskatchewan Huskies
Top Players: Gage Grassick (Canada West MVP), Logan Reider, Maya Flindall,
Record: 28-1
This Saskatchewan team looked unbeatable this season, spending every single week as the #1-ranked team in the country before being upset by Calgary in the Canada West semi-finals, which marked the conclusion of an incredible 52-game win streak for the Huskies, stretching all the way back to last season. Led by national coach of the year Lisa Thomaidis in her 27th season at the helm and a dynamic group of veteran players headlined by Canada West MVP Gage Grassick, the Huskies and their number #1 ranked scoring offence in the country will look to repeat as national champions for the first time in school history on Sunday night. However, to do so, they will need to defeat an 8-seeded Laval team that already upset TMU in the quarterfinals, with an intense home-court advantage.
4. Laval Rouge
Top Players: Brinly Holt, Sabrine Khelifi, Lea-Sophie Verret
Record: 14-3
Laval may be the #8 seeded team in this tournament and some may have been majorly surprised by their upset victory against #1 seeded TMU, but this team has been competing at a high level all season and thoroughly deserve this opportunity to play in a national semi-final on Saturday night on their home court. Laval has a top 10 scoring offence nationally, and led the RSEQ in nearly every offensive statistic this past season. Les Rouges will be up against a difficult opponent as they look to dethrone the national powerhouse Huskies, but they’ve been preparing for this opportunity all season and will relish the opportunity to win the school’s first women’s basketball national championship on home court this weekend.
