Edmonton, Alta. – Contending for a Canada West title, the University of Victoria men's basketball team readies for play in the Canada West Final Four semifinals, March 18.

GAME INFORMATION
Date: Friday, March 18
Location: Saville Community Sports Centre Competition Gym (hosted by the University of Alberta)
Time: 8 p.m. MT
Watch: Canada West TV Presented by Co-op

NEWS & NOTES

• The Vikes enter the weekend with an overall record of 18-1 and No. 3 national ranking by U SPORTS, in its poll released March 15.
• After a 79-55 win over Lethbridge in the quarterfinals, the Vikes punched their ticket to the Canada West Final Four.
• The No. 2 tournament seed will face off against the three seed, Regina, who holds a 13-4 record on season so far.
• UVic's Elias Ralph heads into the matchup as the newly-crowned Canada West Rookie of the Year, and first since teammate Scott Kellum earned the honour in the 2016-17 season.
• The Vikes also carry four Canada West All-Stars in Kellum (first team), Diego Maffia (second team), Ethan Boag (all-rookie), and Ralph (all-rookie).
• Statistically, a trio of Vikes average double-figure scoring each game, with Maffia's 17.4 points per game average leading the way. Kellum averages 15.7, while Ellis has a 12.9 points per game average for the Vikes.
• Dominick Oliveri's 8.9 rebounds per game leads the Vikes, followed by Sergio Pereira's 4.5, and Ellis and Ralph's 4.3 boards per game.
• As a team, the Vikes lead Canada West with a 92.3 points per game scoring average.
• Victoria and Regina will match up for the first time since the 2018-19 season. The Vikes came away with a narrow 83-80 victory over the Cougars at CARSA Performance Gym, Jan. 5, 2019.
• The Vikes make a return to the Canada West Final Four for the first time since the 2014-15 season, when UVic defeated Fraser Valley, 86-61, in the semifinals and Saskatchewan, 70-67, in the finals to win the conference banner.
• The top four conference seeds make up the Canada West Final Four bracket, as No. 1 Alberta hosts No. 4 Saskatchewan in the other semifinal game Friday night.

UP NEXT
The game result will determine the next steps for the Vikes. A win puts UVic in the gold medal game, while a loss puts them in the bronze medal game, with both to take place Saturday, March 19.