THUNDER BAY – SPORTS- The Windsor Lancers visit the Thunderdome this weekend for a duo of double headers against the men’s and women’s teams. Saturday night’s games will mark Seniors’ Night, as the women’s team will have 1 player (Carolyn Fragale) and the men’s team 6 players (Greg Carter, Yoosrie Salhia, Matt Schmidt, Brendan King, Joseph Jones and Ben Johnson) playing their final regular season games in the Thunderdome.
Women (7-10, 6th place OUA-W)
The titans of CIS women’s basketball enter the Thunderdome ranked CIS #1 with a 17-0 record on the season. The Thunderwolves hope to breathe some life into their playoff hopes as they hold the final post-season position over Guelph by just 1 game (LU with 4 games remaining). They will have their work cut out for them this weekend, as Windsor brings a multi-faceted attack, led by perennial All-Star forward Jessica Clemencon (17.8 PPG, 7.1 RPG). As a team Windsor ranks in the CIS top 10 in nearly all offensive and defensive categories, apart from 3-pt shooting, where Lakehead holds an advantage.
Coach Jon Kreiner understands the challenge, and believes his T-wolves are up to it, “This weekend we host the #1 team in the CIS. This is a great opportunity for our program to get better. Windsor is talented, experienced, tough, has great size and can beat you in a number of ways on offense and defense. Windsor is also a very deep team and shutting down just one or two players will not be enough”.
“When you play a team like this you have to hope many things go well for you,” Coach Kreiner adds. “We will need to work our hardest and play with great energy from the tip off. When you do that you give yourself a chance to compete with consistency. Saturday is also Carolyn Fragale’s Senior Night”.
On the weekend, Coach Kreiner states, “Lakehead University Women’s Basketball and the Thunderdome will be saying goodbye to one of it’s best players to ever suit up for the Thunderwolves. Carolyn has been truly great this season and we hope that the best fans in the country come out to support her in her last home game.”
Men (12-5, 2nd place OUA-W, CIS #10)
After many questions were raised following the first semester as to Thunderwolves’ knack to hang with the best in the country, the T-Wolves’ efforts to answer those have begun to resonate around the CIS, with Lakehead returning to the Top 10 this week at #10. They will face a Windsor team (14-3) that has enjoyed CIS Top 10 rankings the majority of the season, and currently sits in the #4 spot. More importantly, Windsor sits in atop the OUA West, 2 games ahead of Lakehead, who with two wins this weekend could take first place in the OUA West for the first time this season.
To do so they will have to deal with a tough Lancer lineup, led by center Lien Phillip (14.9 PPG, 10.4 RPG), who leads the OUA in total rebounds (5 ahead of T-Wolf Yoosrie Salhia). Add to that shooting guard Enrico Diloreto’s 14.4 PPG and point guard Josh Collins’ 4.4 assists per game, and Thunderwolf fans can look forward to a multitude of match-up battles for Lakehead’s senior players.
Coach Scott Morrison states, “After a good start to the semester, this weekend represents the ultimate test to see if we have indeed progressed since a tough first semester. Windsor is as close to a division 1 type lineup that we have seen since Carleton back in November. We will have to execute our game plan and attempt to contain the excellent 1 on 1 players that Windsor puts on the court at every position.”
Webcast Coverage will be available via SSN Canada. Audio broadcast available via CILU Radio, 102.7FM and www.luradio.ca
Fri, Feb 8 & Sat Feb 9
Women – 6pm
Men – 8pm
