LANGLEY, British Columbia – This Week in Sparta is a slower week with only six teams in action. Men's and women's basketball and women's hockey are at home in Langley, while men's hockey and our track and field teams are on the road. Basketball hosts the UBC Thunderbirds, while women's hockey hosts the Alberta Pandas. Men's hockey is in Edmonton against the Alberta Golden Bears, while track and field are in Spokane, Wash.
HOME
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Friday, January 31 vs UBC Thunderbirds, Langley, B.C.
6 p.m. (PT) – Langley Events Centre |
WATCH
Saturday, February 1 vs UBC Thunderbirds, Langley, B.C.
4 p.m. (PT) – Langley Events Centre |
WATCH
NOTABLE
- The Spartans are in fourth spot in the Canada West Pacific Division at 8-6, while the Thunderbirds are in first place in Pacific at 12-2.
- TWU lost to the UBC 69-52 on November 2 to open up Canada West play earlier this year.
- The Spartans are currently 7-55 lifetime against the Thunderbirds.
- Last week the Spartans lost to the UBC Okanagan Heat 78-50 in their lone game at home on Thursday, January 23.
- Last week the Thunderbirds lost 78-75 to the Victoria Vikes in Victoria, B.C. in their loan game of the weekend.
- Shemaiah Abatayo currently has 214 career assists. Former Spartan Jayden Gill is in sixth spot on the TWU all-time conference assist total at 215.
- Abatayo is second on the all-time assists per game at 3. Laura Craig (05-09) holds the TWU record at 3.2.
- Abatayo is also second in assists/game in a single season a 4.9 (68/14) this year. Trailing only Luca Schmidt's 2015-16 season at 5 per game (101/20).
- First-year guard Collette Van der Hoven has 31 steals in CW conference play this season. The TWU record for steals by a rookie is 35, set by former Spartan Katie Howatson (Haworth) in 2005-06.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Friday, January 31 vs UBC Thunderbirds, Langley, B.C.
8 p.m. (PT) – Langley Events Centre |
WATCH
Saturday, February 1 vs UBC Thunderbirds, Langley, B.C.
6 p.m. (PT) – Langley Events Centre |
WATCH
NOTABLE
- The Spartans are in third spot in the Canada West Pacific Division at 7-7, while the Thunderbirds are in second place in Pacific at 10-4.
- TWU lost to the UBC 99-78 on November 2 to open up Canada West play earlier this year.
- The Spartans are currently 15-61 lifetime against the Thunderbirds.
- Last week the Spartans defeated the UBC Okanagan Heat 98-87 in their lone game at home on Thursday, January 23.
- Last week the Thunderbirds lost to the No. 1 Victoria Vikes 90-88 at the CARS in Victoria, B.C.
- David Mutabazi is two points shy of his 1,000th career point at 998 total overall points in 66 games.
- Josh (Juice) Belvin broke the TWU career steals record against UNBC and currently has 125 career steals.
- Connor Platz currently has 161 total blocks in Canada West conference games. He is five blocks shy of tying Brett Layton (MRU) for third spot with 166. Myron Dean (MAN) holds the CW career block record with 197.
- Platz leads CW with a career average of 2.55 blocks per game. Including tonight, TWU has six games left in the CW regular season. This puts him on pace to move into second spot in CW by the end of the season. Greg Stewart (TRU) is second with 174.
- Marcus Shankar is currently at 47.5 percent for three-point shooting percentage. TWU's current record is 46.3 percent set by Daniel Horner in the 2010-11 season, when TWU made it to the U SPORTS championship final and came second to Carlton.
WOMEN'S HOCKEY
Friday, January 31 vs Alberta Pandas, Langley, B.C.
7 p.m. (PT) – Langley Events Centre |
WATCH
Saturday, February 1 vs Alberta Pandas, Langley, B.C.
7:15 p.m. (PT) – Aldergrove Community Centre |
WATCH
NOTABLE
- The Spartans are in third spot in the Canada West West division at 12-11-1-0, while the Pandas are in first place in the East division at 20-3-0-1.
- Last week the Spartans swept the Calgary Dinos 6-1, and 4-1 in Calgary, Alta.
- Last week the Pandas swept the Saskatchewan Huskies with two 3-0 wins at home in Edmonton, Alta.
- The Spartan two wins put Trinity Western's magic number at one to clinch a postseason spot. A TWU overtime loss or win, or a Calgary overtime loss or regulation loss give TWU the final playoff spot in the West division.
- TWU is currently 11 points up on the Dinos with TWU having four remaining games and Calgary having six.
- TWU is currently 2-8 lifetime against the Pandas.
- The Spartans swept the Pandas 3-1, and 4-1 on October 14-15, 2022 for their only wins against the Pandas.
- TWU has lost six straight games to Alberta.
- Kyra McDonald (Inuvik, NT) currently leads the Spartans in scoring with 10 goals. McDonald recorded the Spartans program's first-ever hat trick in Saturday's 4-1 win over the Dinos.
- McDonald is currently tied for third spot in CW goal scoring trailing second place Mackenzie Kordic's 11 goals.
AWAY
MEN'S HOCKEY
Friday, January 31 at Alberta Golden Bears, Edmonton, Alta.
7 p.m. (MT) – Clare Drake Arena |
WATCH
Saturday, February 1 at Alberta Golden Bears, Edmonton, Alta.
7 p.m. (MT) – Clare Drake Arena|
WATCH
NOTABLE
- The Spartans are in fourth spot in the Canada West West division at 3-18—2-1, while the Golden Bears are in second place at 18-6.
- Last week the Spartans went 0-1-1 against the Calgary Dinos, losing 5-4 in SO, and losing 7-1.
- Last week the Golden Bears swept Saskatchewan Huskies 4-3, and 4-1 at Merlis Belsher Place in Saskatoon, Sask.
- TWU is currently 1-9 lifetime against the Golden Bears.
- The Spartans lone win, 4-3, against the Golden Bears last February 9.
TRACK AND FIELD
Saturday, February 1 at Inland Northwest Invitational, Spokane, Wash.
All-day event – The Podium
NOTABLE
- One-day tournament hosted by Whitworth University Pirates. | INFO
- Last week Rui Ramsey won the 200m at the Dempsey Indoor at the University of Washington.
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country, and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men's rugby, as well as women's and men's disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 13 U SPORTS team championships and 32 Canada West team championships.
About Trinity Western University
Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in U SPORTS. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
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