CALGARY – Hosting Senior Night and their crosstown rival, there will be electricity in the air when the University of Calgary Dinos men's basketball team (9-9) host the Mount Royal Cougars (8-10) to close out the 2022-23 regular season.
Both teams have their place secured in the upcoming Canada West Playoffs, with some jostling of seeding in the play-in game still to be determined.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. SENIOR MIGHT – This weekend, Calgary will recognize three standouts that have epitomized Dinos Basketball.
Ezeoha Santiago,
Mason Foreman and
Jackson Bayles will suit up for their final games at the Jack Simpson. Across the court, the youth movement Cougars feature no fourth or fifth-year players.
2. DYNAMIC BACKCOURT – Despite surrendering 2021-22 all-star guard
Nate Petrone to the Dinos this past offseason, Mount Royal may boast the best backcourt in the province. Holt Tommie has flourished in his expanded role and is currently leading CW with 23 points per game. Alongside first-year Keivonte Watts, the Cougars starting backcourt accounts for half of the team's points this season.
3. PAINT TOUCHES – The Cougars could not contain Brandon big-man Anthony Tskegakele last week, conceding an average of 24 points and nine rebounds to the all-star forward. On tap this week? Fellow 2021-22 all-star
Mason Foreman, who comes in averaging 20 and 11 since his return to the lineup in January.
4. CLOSE IS COMFORT – There is no doubt heading into playoffs that the Dinos are prepared for clutch moments. Last week's 94-90 OT victory over Regina marks their fourth game of the season that has gone into the extra frame. The battle-tested Dinos will carry their composure into their eighth consecutive trip to the conference's second season.
5. SERIES HISTORY – The Dinos and Cougars have met 14 total times in conference play, with Calgary claiming 13 of those matchups. Despite the one-sided nature of the final results, last year featured four wins by the Dinos – three of which came by single digits, including an 80-78 finale from Kenyon Court to complete last year's four-game sweep for the Dinos.
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