HALIFAX — A look at the eight teams competing in the U Sports men’s basketball championship Friday through Sunday at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax:
No. 1 CARLETON RAVENS
Overall record: 25-1
National title history: 13 championships (seven in a row from 2011-17)
Scoring leader: Eddie Ekiyor (13.9 points per game)
The skinny: Top defence in the country, allowing just 59.3 points per game … Longtime coach Dave Smart looking to guide team to eighth national title in past nine years.
No. 2 CALGARY DINOS
Overall record: 25-0
National title history: One championship (2018)
Scoring leader: Mambi Diawara (17.9)
The skinny: Won by an average of more than 24 points in Canada West Conference play … Defending champs were top five in the country in scoring, rebounding, points per game allowed and opponents’ field-goal percentage.
No. 3 RYERSON RAMS
Overall record: 23-3
National title history: No championships
Scoring leader: JV Mukama (18.4)
The skinny: Rams achieved No. 1 national ranking for second time in team history after upsetting Carleton in Ottawa … Back court of Mukama and Myles Charles paces the Rams offence.
No. 4 UBC THUNDERBIRDS
Overall record: 21-6
National title history: Two championships (most recent in 1972)
Scoring leader: Jadon Cohee (19.3)
The skinny: Canada West finalists led country in rebounding … Cohee a transfer from NCAA Division I Southern Utah … Coach Kevin Hanson hit 300 wins for his career this season.
No. 5 DALHOUSIE TIGERS
Overall record: 17-6
National title history: No championships
Scoring leader: Alex Carson (14.5)
The skinny: Dalhousie won final eight regular-season games en route to Atlantic title … Tigers have won conference four of past five years … Beat Saint Mary’s in all-Halifax conference final.
No. 6 CONCORDIA STINGERS
Overall record: 13-5
National title history: One championship (1990)
Scoring leader: Adrian Armstrong (16.4)
The skinny: Stingers won Quebec title for first time since 2012 … Conference MVP Ricardo Monge, in his final year of eligibility, finished fifth in the country in assists.
No. 7 SAINT MARY’S HUSKIES
Overall record: 20-2
National title history: Four championships (most recent in 1999)
Scoring leader: Kemar Alleyne (14.6)
The skinny: Atlantic finalists had best offence and defence in the conference this season … Alleyne was named conference MVP. Seventh-year coach Jonah Taussig was Atlantic coach of the year.
No. 8 ALBERTA GOLDEN BEARS
Overall record: 18-8
National title history: Three championships (most recent in 2002)
Scoring leader: Brody Clarke (19.8)
The skinny: Canada West semifinalists earned lone at-large berth at nationals … Clarke a three-time Canada West all-star … Looking to make it past quarterfinals at nationals for first time since 2014.
The Canadian Press
