CALGARY – Holding the top RPI in Canada West with just eight games to play in the regular season, the University of Calgary Dinos women's basketball team is in a good position as the drive for the playoffs begins – and they'll look to keep up the momentum as they face their crosstown rivals in a Crowchild Classic series this weekend.

Action gets underway Thursday night at Mount Royal University, with Kenyon Court hosting a 6 p.m. tip-off. Saturday, the teams head up Crowchild Trail to square off at the Jack Simpson Gym for a 5 p.m. start.

CROWCHILD DOMINATION
Since MRU joined Canada West in 2012, the Cougars and Dinos have met six times on the hardcourt, and all six have been victories for the Dinos. Calgary swept the season series a year ago with wins of 53 and 27 points. In the big picture, the Dinos are just five wins away from clinching the overall Crowchild Classic series again, and between the women's and men's basketball teams have the opportunity to cut that down significantly heading into the big showdown at the Saddledome later this month.

The Dinos boast a 9-3 record heading into this series, while the Cougars have struggled to a 2-10 mark.

STATS STORY
The Dinos have rolled to seven consecutive conference wins on the strength of solid outside shooting and outstanding defence. Calgary tops the conference in steals, averaging 13 per game and adding 3.3 blocks, while the Dinos average nearly eight threes per game – second only to Saskatchewan in that category. Mount Royal, meanwhile, has also had some success from outside and leads the conference in three-point shots attempted, but the Cougars average less than 68 points (12th) while allowing nearly 85 (16th).

BY COMMITTEE
While Erin McIntosh is the Dinos' offensive leader with her 16 points per game, Calgary had five players averaging better than eight points per night in Sascha Lichtenwald (10.8), Bobbi Jo Colburn (9.9), Liene Stalidzane (9.1), and Kiki Knox (8.3). Damian Jennings' crew has gotten significant contributions off the bench as well, with eight players averaging better than 17 minutes and a ninth in double digits at nine minutes per game.

QUOTABLE
Dinos Head Coach Damian Jennings, on facing the Cougars and refocusing for the stretch drive in Canada West:

"Ultimately any city rivalry will create a different psychology, we're aware of that and what it means. At this stage of the season, we're looking forward to getting back on the floor and close to a brand of basketball we saw some great glimpses of in 2018.

"The schedule is a little lighter for us in that we play two weeks, have a bye, and play two weeks, but they're all against opponents scrapping for playoff positions. The 'pack' is being shuffled, and we're aware of that and excited for the next few weeks."

SCOUTING REPORT
vs MOUNT ROYAL COUGARS
Match Info Thursday, Jan. 3 at 6 p.m. – Kenyon Court and Saturday, Jan. 5 at 5 p.m. – Jack Simpson Gym
2018-19 Record 2-10, 16th in Canada West standings
2018-19 Leading Scorer(s) Maddison Hooper (12.1 ppg), Charity Marlatt (9.9 ppg)

NOTES

• Leading scorer Maddison Hooper paces the MRU offence, averaging just over 12 points per night and sitting second in Canada West with 27 made three-pointers on the year
• Charity Marlatt is the Cougars' top rebounder, pulling in 89 to average 7.4 per game on the season
• The Cougars won their only two games of the year Nov. 16-17 at home against UBC Okanagan but have dropped their last four to MacEwan and UBC

UP NEXT
Saturday is the Dinos' lone home game in January as they embark on two road trips and a bye before returning home Feb. 1-2 to close out the regular season. Next week, Calgary heads north to face the MacEwan Griffins in Edmonton Jan. 11-12.

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