OTTAWA – Following a big win over archrival Ottawa in front of a record crowd last Friday, the reigning four-time national champion Carleton University Ravens are back at No. 1 in the CIS men’s basketball rankings.
The only other changes at No. 1 this week see the Windsor Lancers move ahead of Guelph in men’s track and field, while in women’s volleyball, the Alberta Pandas take sole possession of first place after sharing the pole position with Toronto last week.
In other CIS sports, Windsor (women’s basketball), Montreal (women’s hockey), Alberta (men’s hockey), McMaster (men’s volleyball), UBC (women’s & men’s swimming), Toronto (women’s track & field), Brock (women’s wrestling) and Fraser Valley (men’s wrestling) all hold on to their No. 1 status.
In men’s basketball, Carleton (13-2) defeated cross-town rival Ottawa (14-1) 79-66 in the ninth annual MBNA Capital Hoops Classic to avenge a 68-66 loss to the Gee-Gees in the first head-to-head matchup of the season on January 10. Following that first meeting, the Gee-Gees had moved past the Ravens in the national rankings to reach No. 1 for the first time in program history.
Carleton received 34 first-place votes and 439 points in this week’s coaches’ poll, compared to 11 No. 1 nods and 416 points for Ottawa.
Last Friday’s game was played in front of 10,780 fans at the Canadian Tire Centre, eclipsing the previous CIS basketball regular season record of 10,523 set at the 2009 Hoops Classic.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous ranking)
1. Windsor (15-1) / 564 points (47) / (1)
2. UBC (15-3) / 514 / (2)
3. Saskatchewan (15-3) / 468 / (3)
4. McGill (11-1) / 420 / (4)
5. Alberta (14-4) / 370 / (5)
6. Wilfrid Laurier (14-2) / 334 / (6)
7. Ryerson (14-3) / 291 / (7)
8. Lakehead (12-4) / 211 / (8)
9. McMaster (12-4) / 210 / (9)
10. Thompson Rivers (17-1) / 108 / (NR)
Other teams receiving votes: Regina (71), UQAM (37).
MEN’S BASKETBALL
(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous ranking)
1. Carleton (13-2) / 439 points (34) / (2)
2. Ottawa (14-1) / 416 (11) / (1)
3. Ryerson (15-2) / 360 / (3)
4. McMaster (13-3) / 315 / (4)
5. Windsor (11-5) / 265 / (6)
6. Saskatchewan (13-5) / 224 / (5)
7. Victoria (13-5) / 172 / (7)
8. UNB (12-4) / 88 / (8)
9. UBC (12-6) / 82 / (NR)
10. Alberta (12-6) / 41 / (NR)
Other teams receiving votes: Fraser Valley (32), UPEI (21).