The University of Manitoba Bisons are hosting the Canada West Men’s Basketball Championship from Feb. 21-25, which brings the twelve best teams from across the meeting to one location interestingly.
The occasion, hosted in the Investors Gathering Athletic Center, is the largest single-elimination occasion in Canadian university basketball history. Three Manitoba teams qualified for the tournament, including the UM Bisons, Brandon University Bobcats and the UWinnipeg Wesmen.
“Basketball is thriving in our city, and we can’t wait to see the action of three Manitoba teams competing together,” says Quality Muller, athletics and recreation chief at UM. “This is an incredible encounter for all the athletes. It’s really something that’s never been finished.”
Bisons head coach Kirby Schepp says the team is pleased to have this first of its kind occasion and that while the city has hosted other large university tournaments in the past, none have been with the “stakes and pressure this occasion brings.”
Hosting this championship is just the most late impression of the growing profundity of basketball skill and interest in the sport across the province. Between the Winnipeg Sea Bears’ breaking the CEBL (Canadian World class Basketball League) attendance record two times this summer, the Bisons’ 18 meeting wins in the 2022-23 season breaking the 53-year-old program record, and the UW Wesmen earning second place at last year’s national championship after not earning a play-off spot for a very long time, basketball is more alive than any other time in recent memory in Winnipeg.
“[Hosting this tournament] is tremendous as far as we’re concerned all personally, as a team, as a program, as a university and as a city,” says Jonam Kazadi, a third-year Bison student-athlete.
“We’ve grown up playing with or against these guys [on the other Manitoba teams],” said Kazadi. “However, records and stuff don’t matter between us. It’s always going to be that we want to beat them today.”
The Bisons head into the tournament ranked fourth in the meeting, earning them a first-round bye, and will play in session four on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 8:00 p.m. The Wesmen, ranked third, will play in session four at 6:00 p.m. The Bobcats will play in session one on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 3:00 p.m.
“We are energized for everybody to come and watch first class level, sink or swim playoff basketball,” said Schepp. “Our team is ready for the open door and challenge ahead and we trust everybody comes to applaud us to our goal. “
Session one of the Canada West Championship starts Wednesday, Feb. 21. The Bisons play Thursday, Feb. 22 at 8:00 p.m. Fans can watch Sunday’s gold medal game on CBC Pearl, cbcsports.ca and the CBC Sports app.
Tournament information
Tickets are on sale for each session ($10-$25/session) or get an all-access tournament pass ($99.93).
Take in an extra dose of entertainment at evening games, with hosts Alex Sannie (Sea Bears in-game host) and Jordan Knight (radio host). Evening games feature half time shows by Manitoba performers and DJs Wanda Guenette and DJ Hunnicut.
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
Session 1
- Game 1 (1:00 p.m.): University of Alberta (7) vs Mount Royal University (10)
- Game 2 (3:00 p.m.): Brandon University (8) vs University of Saskatchewan (9)
Session 2
- Game 3 (6:00 p.m.): University of Regina (6) vs University of Fraser Valley (11)
- Half-time performance: Mini Baller’s Baby Race
- Game 4 (8:00 p.m.): University of British Colombia (5) vs University of Northern British Colombia (12)
- Half-time performance: Sisler’s Most Wanted (dance)
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Session 3
- Game 5 (1:00 p.m.): University of Calgary (2) vs Game 1 winner
- Game 6 (3:00 p.m.): University of Victoria (1) vs Game 2 winner
Session 4
Game 7 (6:00 p.m.): University of Winnipeg (3) vs Game 3 winner
Half-time performance: Sarah Teakle (circus-style performance)
Game 8 (8:00 p.m.): University of Manitoba (4) vs Game 4 winner
Half-time performance: Shanley Spence (Indigenous Loop Dance)
Saturday, February 24, 2024
Session 5
Game 9 (6:00 p.m.): Game 6 winner vs Game 8 winner
Half-time performance: Mini Baller’s half court scrimmage
Game 10 (8:00 p.m.): Game 5 winner vs Game 7 winner
Sunday February 25, 2024
Session 6
Bronze medal game (6:00 p.m.): Game 9 loser vs Game 10 loser
Half-time performance: Jason Lepine – Métis fiddler accompanied on guitar by Lionel Desjarlais (music)
Gold medal game (8:00 p.m.): Game 9 winner vs Game 10 winner
Half-time performance: Hinode Taiko (Japanese drumming)