VICTORIA – Coming off a sweep of the UBC Thunderbirds, who dropped from No. 2 to No. 4 this week, the University of Victoria Vikes men's basketball team will turn around to host the Manitoba Bisons in the first series of the post-season. The Vikes, who finished the regular season with a 16-6 record, will gain home court advantage in the best-of-three Canada West quarter-final series set for Feb. 22-24 at McKinnon Gymnasium.
 
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Last weekend, Feb. 15-16, the Vikes put on a superb performance defeating the T-Birds 91-86 on the Friday at War Memorial Gym and then again 74-71 on Saturday at McKinnon Gym. The Friday victory in Vancouver was the first Vikes road-win against the T-Birds since Nov. 30, 2007.
 
The Vikes boast a healthy roster led by fourth-year Terrell Evans (Las Vegas, NV), who is 11^th in the Canada West in scoring (16.7 PPG) and first in steals (3.0). Evans was the leading scorer for the Vikes in 10 of 22 games this season. Fifth-year Michael Acheampong (Toronto, Ont.) is second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.2 PPG.
 
Six-foot-ten Chris McLaughlin (Oakville, ON) has also been a key contributer for the Vikes, as the third-year forward boasts the team's highest field goal percentage (.529) and rebounding average (8.3)

Playmakers Brandon Dunlop and Kyle Peterson (Edmonton) have been the one-two punch for the Victoria squad that boasts the conference's number one scoring defense. Dunlop, a senior from Victoria, had a season-high 24-point performance in the Feb. 16 win over UBC and was five-for-seven on three-pointers. Meanwhile, rookie Peterson has been a consistent starter and leads the team in assists (3.4).
 
In his 10th season, Vikes head coach Craig Beaucamp will be looking to rebound from last season's heart-breaking finish, where the Vikes lost in the Canada West semifinals after winning the Pacific Division. The Vikes have not been to the CIS national championship since 2005-06, where they won a silver medal.
 
The Vikes and Bisons will tip off on Friday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. If necessary, the teams will decide their fate in a third match on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 3 p.m. All games will be at McKinnon Gym and streamed live at http://UVic.canadawest.tv . Tickets can be purchases online (http://tickets.uvic.ca) or in person at the University Center box office (Mon-Fri, 9:30-4pm) For more information on tickets, please contact Janine Prince at jlprince@uvic.ca or (250) 472-4772.
 
For media requests please contact Ali Lee, Vikes Communications Officer, at vicvikes@uvic.ca or (250) 721-8410.
 
SCOUTING THE BISONS
Regular season record: 14-8
Projected Starting Five: Stephan Walton, Jonar Huertas, Kevin Oliver, Yigit Ozsayiner, Wyatt Anders,
 
The Bisons enter the playoff season with a 14-8 record and were defeated in their final two regular season games against Saskatchewan and Winnipeg. This is the third time in 12 seasons that the Bisons have qualified for the post-season. The Vikes and Bisons went head-to-head only once in the regular season, with Manitoba taking the late 82-79 edge on Jan. 12. Second year Yigit Ozsayiner hit a three-point dagger at the buzzer on home court to seal the win. 
 
The Bisons will now have to contest with the Vikes at McKinnon Gymnasium, where the Vikes hold a 10-1 record this season, while Manitoba are 7-4 on the road. The Bisons boast the fourth-highest scoring offence in the Canada West (83.0 PPG) and 11^th in scoring defence (79.9 PPG). Co-captain Stephan Walton ranked ninth in the conference in scoring with 17.3 points per game, while Jonar Huertas finished tied for 12^th with 16.6. Bisons head coach Kirby Schepp, in his fourth season, led the team this year to a six-win improvement relative to the 2011-12 season. 

GAME INFORMATION
Friday, Feb. 22: 7:00 p.m. 
Saturday, Feb. 23: 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 24: 3:00 p.m. (if necessary)
All games at McKinnon Gym

TICKET INFORMATION
Online (http://tickets.uvic.ca) or in person (UVic University Center Box Office Mon-Fri 9:30-4pm)
More information: Contact Janine Prince, jlprince@uvic.ca or 250-472-4772

PLAYOFF TICKET PRICES
Adults ($10)
Seniors/Other Students/Alumni ($8)
Youth Aged 7-14 ($5)
UVic Students/Recreation members ($5)
Children 6 and Under (FREE)