VICTORIA, B.C. - Victoria will get their first look at the 2014-15 University of Victoria Vikes men's basketball team this weekend, Oct. 3-5, at the biennial Guy Vetrie Memorial tournament, hosted at McKinnon Gym. The four-team tournament hosts some of Canada's best in CIS basketball including the No. 1-ranked and four-time defending CIS champions, the Carleton Ravens, the 2014 CIS bronze medallists, the Alberta Golden Bears, and RSEQ finalists, the Bishop's Gaiters. 

FULL SCHEDULE  |  GAME DAY PROGRAM

Vetrie was the head coach for the Vikes men's basketball team since 1989, until he passed away at the age of 52 on Sept. 15, 2003. In an impressive streak of 543 victories in his 14 season career, he was also awarded the Canada West Coach of the year six times and guided the Vikes to eight CIS National Championships. Previous to his time coaching the Vikes, Vetrie worked under the former Vikes basketball superstar, Ken Shields, as an assistant coach with the Saskatchewan Huskies from 1979-88. This weekend's tournament is to honour this incredible man and continue his legacy and love for basketball and sport.

All seven games will be broadcast with live video and stats at canadawest.tv.

The Oct. 4 basketball games will be part of the annual Days of Thunder hosted by Vikes Nation. The Vikes women will tip-off against Guelph at 6 p.m., while the men will play Carleton at 8 p.m. Ticket information can be found at govikesgo.com/tickets. 

TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: 
 
SCOUTING THE ALBERTA GOLDEN BEARS
The Alberta Golden Bears, members of the Canada West Conference, are another consistently top-ranked team in the CIS that will make their way West for the Guy Vetrie Tournament. They are coming off a CIS bronze medal win from the 2013-14 season, after they downed the Vikes 61-53 thanks to a 16-point game from Jordan Baker. With the Bears loss of graduate and conference all-time scoring leader Baker, comes five new hopefuls onto the team, including Sebastian Denault from Quebec with an impressive showing of provincial championships and a year of college ball experience. and Brody Clarke from Toronto who has represented Canada on the international stage. The Golden Bears also boast the talents of third-year guard Youssef Ouahrig and the fifth-year duo of Kenneth Otieno and Joel Friesen.

Conference: Canada West 
2013-14 Conference Record: 20-2 (1st)
2013-14 Playoff Record: 5-0 (1st)
2013-14 CIS Championship Record: 2-1 (3rd)
2013-14 Conference Award Winners: Jordan Baker (MVP, First Team All-Star), Kenneth Otieno (Second Team All-Star), Mamadou Gueye (Rookie of the year)
2013-14 CIS Award Winners: Jordan Baker (First Team All-Canadian), Mamadou Gueye (All-Rookie Team)
Last CIS Title:
Last Conference Title: 2014
 
SCOUTING THE BISHOP'S GAITERS
The Gaiters posted a 9-7 regular season record last year and advanced to the RESQ conference playoffs with hopes of qualifying for the CIS Final 8. In a very close series, the Gaiters defeated Concordia, 74-59 to advance to the final against the McGill Redmen, where they lost out 78-76. Last season the Gaiters were led in scoring by Mike Andrews, who averaged 11.5 points per game. The Gaiters graduate six-foot-three guard Onnex Blackwood and senior Scott Ring but will return the talents of Andrews, Majid Naji and Matt McClean, all in their fourth year.

Conference: RSEQ
2013-14 Conference Record: 9-7
2013-14 Playoff Record: 1-1 (2nd)
2013-14 CIS Championship Record: N/A

SCOUTING THE CARLETON RAVENS
The Carleton Ravens are making the trip to UVic from the Ontario University Athletics conference. The Ravens are led by the nearly untouchable brotherly duo of Thomas and Philip Scrubb. Philip Scrubbis coming back after a successful season, being named CIS Male Athlete of the Year at the annual BLG Awards, as well as CIS Player of the Year for the 2013-14 basketball season. The former CIS rookie of the year led the Ravens to their fourth-consecutive CIS title last March on home court. Head coach Dave Smart enters his 15th season and is a six-time CIS Coach of the Year winner. Smart will rely on both Scrubb brothers to perform in their final season with the Ravens, while several fresh faces, including seven first years, will be required to step up to the plate.
 
Conference: OUA
2013-14 Conference Record:  22-0 (1st)
2013-14 Playoff Record: 2-1 (2nd)
2013-14 CIS Championship Record: 3-0 (1st)
2013-14 Conference Award Winners: Philip Scrubb, Tyson Hinz, Thomas Scrubb (First Team OUA All-Star)
2013-14 CIS Award Winners:? Philip Scrubb (First Team All-Canadian)
Last CIS Title: 2014
Last Conference Title: 2013
 
SCOUTING THE VICTORIA VIKES
The Vikes qualified for the CIS Final 8 for the second-consecutive year last season. Entering the Canada West conference playoffs, the Vikes posted a 19-3 regular season record to sit in second place in the standings. The Vikes posted a 3-1 record against the Winnipeg Wesmen and Fraser Valley Cascades to advance to the conference final. In that match up, the Vikes were upset by the Alberta Golden Bears but had already captured a berth for the 2014 CIS Final 8 hosted in Ottawa.  The Vikes won their first game of the championship against McGill but fell to Ottawa, 70-78, the next day. Eyeing the bronze medal, the Vikes met the Golden Bears once again but despite outscoring them in four quarters of play, the Golden Bears came back to win the game, putting the Vikes in fourth place, two spots higher than their 2013 result. This year, the Vikes have graduated seniors Terrell Evans, Ryan Erikson and John Woldu but have brought a mix of fresh faces and transfers.
 
Conference: Canada West 
2013-14 Conference Record: 19-3 (2st)
2013-14 Playoff Record: 3-2 (2nd)
2013-14 CIS Championship Record: 1-2 (4th)
2013-14 Conference Award Winners: Terrell Evans (First Team all-star), Chris McLaughlin (Second Team all-star), Reiner Theil (Defensive player of the year), Craig Beaucamp (Coach of the year)
2013-14 CIS Award Winners: Terrell Evans (CIS First Team All-Canadian)
Last CIS Title: 1997
Last Conference Title: 2006