VICTORIA, B.C. - The University of Victoria Vikes men's basketball team looks to continue their strong start to the season against the CIS No. 7-ranked Calgary Dinos this weekend, Nov. 20-21, at the CARSA Performance Gym. After a clean sweep of the CIS No. 9-ranked Saskatchewan Huskies this past weekend, the Vikes are the Canada West Pioneer Division's top team to start the year with a 4-0 conference record. The Dinos are close behind, boasting a 3-1 record, after a split series with the Manitoba Bisons last weekend.
 
In their inaugural Canada West home opener this past weekend, the Vikes were lifted by the great play of their veteran players including fourth-year forward Grant Sitton.  The six-foot-nine product of Bush Prairie, Wash. put up 33 points, five rebounds and six three-pointers in an 86-76 win over the Huskies on Nov. 14. Fifth years Reiner Theil and Mack Roth also added 15 and 14-point performances respectively in the second of two wins for the Vikes last weekend.
 
The Vikes were 12-for-24 from three-point distance and shot a combined 49.1 per cent in the paint, boding well for the Vikes in the shooting category early in the season.
 
"We've been shooting well but that will always come," commented Vikes men's basketball head coach Craig Beaucamp. "The difference for us last weekend against the Huskies was that we played very well defensively and that's the key. Good defence always gives you the chance to win and we're approaching this game no different."
 
The Dinos are coming off a tense weekend against the Bisons in which both games needed extra time to decide the winner. The Dinos dropped the first of two, 96-90, on Nov. 13, before getting revenge in the extra frame a night later, winning 90-87 to earn a share of the spoils. The Dinos held on to their No. 7 spot this week after beginning the season seventh in the CIS.
 
The Dinos are the top-ranked Canada West side in the country in the CIS rankings and one of the top teams in the country when it comes to rebounds. Calgary have averaged 18.5 and 33.5 offensive and defensive rebounds per game, respectively, through four games this season. Fifth-year Dino Thomas Cooper added ten rebounds in last Saturday's over-time win over the Bisons to go along with a 23-point performance.
 
Offensively, the Dinos have averaged a points per game total of 88.8 – a CIS third-best through four games.
 
"Calgary has a good core of returning players and their line-up goes deep into their bench," said Beaucamp of his team's weekend opponents. "(Cooper) is one of the top scorers in the country and also very solid defensively. They have some capable scorers that stretch across their line-up."
 
Tip off between the Vikes and Dinos this weekend, Nov. 20-21, goes at 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. respectively at the CARSA Performance Gym. Vikes Nation and UVic Food Services are partnering to put on a pre-game BBQ at 6:15 p.m. in the CARSA plaza area for students who show a game day ticket and their UVic One Card. Music, burgers and face paint will be available while quantities last.
 
Ticket info can be found at govikesgo.com/tickets and both games will be live streamed on pay-per-view at canadawest.tv.