The Canada West Universities Athletic Association has voted for a new basketball format starting in the 2016-17 season. The 17 teams, including the UNBC Timberwolves, will play in a single conference, featuring a 20-game regular season schedule. Each team will play four geographical, or historical opponents every year, with games against six of the remaining 12 opponents every other year. UNBC is grouped with UBC, Fraser Valley, TRU and Trinity Western.
Canada West has also approved a playoff format, which will see the top 12 teams playing a bracketed postseason structure over a three-week period. The top four teams will receive a bye in the first week of the playoffs, which will feature four best-of-three series. The following week will consist of four best-of-three quarterfinals, leading to the final four hosted by the highest remaining seed.
The 2015-16 season will be played under the existing two-division format, with the 11-team Pioneer Division, and six-team Explorer Division (that includes UNBC), playing a 20-game regular season with no interlock between divisions.
–The BX Pub Bandits whipped the winless Cowboy Ranch Stylers 23-15 in Prince George Senior Lacrosse. Cole Paciejewski led the 4-1 Bandits with five goals and nine assists. There are two more games this week: The 4-0 Westwood Pub Devils against the 0-5 Stylers Wednesday night at 8 at Kin 1 and the 1-3 Northland/Nissan Assault against the 2-2 Crossfire Thursday at 8 p.m. in Quesnel.
–The Kelowna Rockets beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 5-3 to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the best of 7 WHL final. The Rockets go for a sweep and a berth in the Memorial Cup when they host the Wheat Kings in game four on Wednesday.
Photo: Courtesy of UNBC