March 7, 2008
CARLETON AND WESTERN SET TO MEET FOR THE 2008 OUA WILSON CUP MEN�S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
HAMILTON, Ont. - On March 8, the Western Mustangs men's basketball team will look to do the seemingly impossible in Canadian university hoops: win at Carleton as the two teams are set to go toe-to-toe for the Wilson Cup, Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Men's Basketball Championship this weekend - presented by Investors Group. Rebounding from a championship final lost last year to the Windsor Lancers, the No.1 Carleton Ravens (22-0) are set to regain the OUA Championship banner. The Western Mustangs (12-10), on the other spectrum finished the regular season in fourth place in a tough OUA West Division, and will be the underdogs heading into this weekend, looking for their fourth straight playoff victory on the road. The Carleton Ravens will play host to the Mustangs, Saturday March 8th, tip-off set for 8:00 pm.
With an expected sellout crowd on Saturday at the Raven's Nest, the Mustangs will look to win their first Wilson Cup OUA Men's Basketball Championship since 2001-02. In their last Wilson Cup win, Western edged out the York Lions 55-53 at Alumni Hall. They had also won in 2000-01 over Carleton, 69-59. In both years, forward Andy Kwiatkowski stole the show for Western. Under the guidance of head coach Dave Smart, Carleton has only lost once to Western, in that 2000-01 OUA Final at Alumni Hall.
Western earned the right to play for the OUA title after winning their third straight playoff game 79-62 over the Brock Badgers in the OUA West Championship in St. Catharines on March 1. The last time a CIS team won at the Raven's Nest, home of the five-time defending national champions and undefeated Ravens, was over a year ago when York defeated Carleton 95-81 in the regular season.
Along with a very deep bench, the Ravens are led by six-foot-seven post, and OUA East Player of the Year, Aaron Doornekamp (Odessa, ON), six-foot-three guard Stuart Turnbull (Kingston, ON) and defensive specialist Ryan Bell (Orleans, ON). Doornekamp finished the season with a 15.6 points per game average, while pulling down 174 rebounds sitting him third in the OUA, while averaging 27 minutes per game for the Ravens. Turnbull led his team in scoring averaging 16 points per game while tallying 38 steals and 100 rebounds.
Carleton has not lost a home playoff game in 20 years. They last lost a home post-season contest 77-71 against the Mustangs at the old Raven's Nest, now known as the Norm Fenn Gym. The Ravens' last home loss, albeit at the Scotiabank Place, was a 64-62 thriller to the Ottawa Gee-Gees on January 23, 2007.
Carleton advanced to the OUA championship after defeating Ottawa, 75-56 on March 1st in the OUA East Final. Rob Saunders (Kingston, ON) led all Ravens with eight rebounds as Carleton out-rebounded Ottawa 33-22 for the game. Ottawa's leading scorer was Sean Peter (Ottawa, ON) with 14 points. Gee-Gees Josh Gibson-Bascombe of Toronto, Donnie Gibson (Kingston, ON) and Dax Dessureault (Ottawa, ON) added 12 points each.
The Mustangs will counter with their team leading scorer Brad Smith (Churchill, ON) who finished the regular season fourth in OUA scoring averaging 18.9 points per game. On the defensive side of the ball, Western will look to fourth-year Matthew Curtis (Hamilton, ON) who finished with a team leading 51 steals on the season, while registering 136 assists and 12.7 points per game. Six-foot-ten, fourth-year forward, Colin Laforme (Hamilton, ON) will look to lead the Mustangs against the glass, as he pulled down a team high 126 rebounds on the year, and added 17 blocks.
Scoring in the paint has proven to be crucial for the Mustangs as it opens up Western's perimeter game in the second half - just ask McMaster and Windsor who were victims of Jason Milliquet (Sarnia, ON) getting hot in the final 20 minutes thanks to an effective first-half game in the paint. The Mustangs outscored Brock 52-20 in the paint in the OUA West Final and hope to have big men Smith and LaForme create a presence for the Mustangs' offence.
Western lost the only meeting between the two teams earlier this season, 78-50, in a game where Western was missing two of its key forwards Andrew Wedemire (injury) and Colin LaForme (ineligible).
Both teams will be looking to head into the CIS Championships on a winning note, as both teams will be trying to carry their momentum to victory and gain the title of 2008 OUA Wilson Cup Champions.
Carleton Ravens and Western Mustangs
Head to Head Competition
Regular Season Head-to-Head (Since 1990)
Carleton 5 wins, Western 1 win
Post Season Head-to-Head (Since 1990)
Western 1 win, Carleton no wins.
Number of Championships:
Carleton - 3 - First Championship: 2002-03, Last Championship: 2004-05
Western - 24 - First Championship: 1926-27, Last Championship: 2001-02
\"24 teams, 5 CIS berths, 2 OUA champions - the OUA basketball playoffs, presented by Investors Group\"
- OUA - (With files from the Western Mustangs)
Michelle Church
Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Tel: (905) 540-5156
Fax: (905) 574-2840
E-mail: michelle.church@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
With an expected sellout crowd on Saturday at the Raven's Nest, the Mustangs will look to win their first Wilson Cup OUA Men's Basketball Championship since 2001-02. In their last Wilson Cup win, Western edged out the York Lions 55-53 at Alumni Hall. They had also won in 2000-01 over Carleton, 69-59. In both years, forward Andy Kwiatkowski stole the show for Western. Under the guidance of head coach Dave Smart, Carleton has only lost once to Western, in that 2000-01 OUA Final at Alumni Hall.
Western earned the right to play for the OUA title after winning their third straight playoff game 79-62 over the Brock Badgers in the OUA West Championship in St. Catharines on March 1. The last time a CIS team won at the Raven's Nest, home of the five-time defending national champions and undefeated Ravens, was over a year ago when York defeated Carleton 95-81 in the regular season.
Along with a very deep bench, the Ravens are led by six-foot-seven post, and OUA East Player of the Year, Aaron Doornekamp (Odessa, ON), six-foot-three guard Stuart Turnbull (Kingston, ON) and defensive specialist Ryan Bell (Orleans, ON). Doornekamp finished the season with a 15.6 points per game average, while pulling down 174 rebounds sitting him third in the OUA, while averaging 27 minutes per game for the Ravens. Turnbull led his team in scoring averaging 16 points per game while tallying 38 steals and 100 rebounds.
Carleton has not lost a home playoff game in 20 years. They last lost a home post-season contest 77-71 against the Mustangs at the old Raven's Nest, now known as the Norm Fenn Gym. The Ravens' last home loss, albeit at the Scotiabank Place, was a 64-62 thriller to the Ottawa Gee-Gees on January 23, 2007.
Carleton advanced to the OUA championship after defeating Ottawa, 75-56 on March 1st in the OUA East Final. Rob Saunders (Kingston, ON) led all Ravens with eight rebounds as Carleton out-rebounded Ottawa 33-22 for the game. Ottawa's leading scorer was Sean Peter (Ottawa, ON) with 14 points. Gee-Gees Josh Gibson-Bascombe of Toronto, Donnie Gibson (Kingston, ON) and Dax Dessureault (Ottawa, ON) added 12 points each.
The Mustangs will counter with their team leading scorer Brad Smith (Churchill, ON) who finished the regular season fourth in OUA scoring averaging 18.9 points per game. On the defensive side of the ball, Western will look to fourth-year Matthew Curtis (Hamilton, ON) who finished with a team leading 51 steals on the season, while registering 136 assists and 12.7 points per game. Six-foot-ten, fourth-year forward, Colin Laforme (Hamilton, ON) will look to lead the Mustangs against the glass, as he pulled down a team high 126 rebounds on the year, and added 17 blocks.
Scoring in the paint has proven to be crucial for the Mustangs as it opens up Western's perimeter game in the second half - just ask McMaster and Windsor who were victims of Jason Milliquet (Sarnia, ON) getting hot in the final 20 minutes thanks to an effective first-half game in the paint. The Mustangs outscored Brock 52-20 in the paint in the OUA West Final and hope to have big men Smith and LaForme create a presence for the Mustangs' offence.
Western lost the only meeting between the two teams earlier this season, 78-50, in a game where Western was missing two of its key forwards Andrew Wedemire (injury) and Colin LaForme (ineligible).
Both teams will be looking to head into the CIS Championships on a winning note, as both teams will be trying to carry their momentum to victory and gain the title of 2008 OUA Wilson Cup Champions.
Carleton Ravens and Western Mustangs
Head to Head Competition
Regular Season Head-to-Head (Since 1990)
Carleton 5 wins, Western 1 win
Post Season Head-to-Head (Since 1990)
Western 1 win, Carleton no wins.
Number of Championships:
Carleton - 3 - First Championship: 2002-03, Last Championship: 2004-05
Western - 24 - First Championship: 1926-27, Last Championship: 2001-02
\"24 teams, 5 CIS berths, 2 OUA champions - the OUA basketball playoffs, presented by Investors Group\"
- OUA - (With files from the Western Mustangs)
Michelle Church
Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Tel: (905) 540-5156
Fax: (905) 574-2840
E-mail: michelle.church@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
