CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos men's basketball team will wrap up the first half of the season this week as they hope to finish off strong in a home and away series against the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns. The Dinos will head to Lethbridge on Thursday night to play the Pronghorns at 8 p.m. at the 1st Choice Savings Centre. Two nights later, the teams will face off again as the Dinos will host the Pronghorns at the Jack Simpson Gym Saturday at 7 p.m.

BATTLE OF THE STEALS
The Dinos are second in Canada West in steals per game with 10.7; the Pronghorns are first in Canada West. The Dinos and the Pronghorns will have to take care of the ball offensively as points off turnovers could decide who wins the game. The Dinos are first in points per game allowed, while the Pronghorns are third in Canada West.

10-0
With the undefeated season on the line every night, this could be one of the Dinos' toughest matchups thus far. The Pronghorns and Dinos are good both offensively and defensively. Mambi Diawara is sitting fourth in the league in points per game with 19.7 and the Pronghorns also have Mike Pierzchala averaging 18.8 points per game, which is seventh in Canada West.

QUOTABLE
Head coach Dan Vanhooren said he thinks the Pronghorns high-powered offence could be a great test for his team.

"Well they like to shoot the ball early and play with a high tempo and they definitely play inspired basketball on their own floor in Lethbridge so we're going to have to play at our best to win down there. There is not a lot of secrets, it's going to be a matter of whether we can be smart enough to take good shots and sort of play the money ball game with them where we take better shots than them and we rebound the ones we want them to take."

SCOUTING REPORT
vs LETHBRIDGE PRONGHORNS
Game Info Thursday, Nov. 29 at 8 p.m., 1st Choice Savings Centre; Saturday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m., Jack Simpson Gym
2018-19 Record 4-4, 11th in Canada West
2018-19 Leading Scorer Mike Pierzchala (18.8 ppg)


NOTES

• Lethbridge leads Canada West with 91.9 points per game.
• The Pronghorns also get to the free throw line a lot, with 26.1 free throw attempts per game.
• You have to take care of the ball against Lethbridge as they average 11.6 steals per game, which is tops in Canada West.

UP NEXT
Following their home and away against the Pronghorns, the Dinos will play a pair of exhibition games against Carroll College (Montana) next Thursday and Friday before heading into their December break.

-UC-