Friday, Jan. 4: Cascades (7-5, 6th in Canada West) vs. Brandon Bobcats (2-8, 15th in Canada West), 6 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 5: Cascades vs. Bobcats, 5 p.m.
Envision Financial Athletic Centre
Webcast: CanadaWest.tv

The Cascades women's team finished the first semester with a flourish, reeling off four straight wins highlighted by a home-court sweep Nov. 23-24 vs. a UNBC Timberwolves squad which had been undefeated and nationally ranked coming in. It's been five weeks since the team's last game action, though, and head coach Al Tuchscherer is hoping his squad can pick up where it left off.

"The break was probably not at an optimal time for us," Tuchscherer acknowledged. "We were just starting to play some really good basketball, and then we have a five-week break. You never know what you're going to get coming out of a long layoff, but hopefully we can recapture some of that confidence we ended the first semester with."

The Bobcats women's team, like their male counterparts, endured a tough start to the campaign, and are allowing the most points per game (87.6) and per possession (1.13) in Canada West at the midpoint of the season. But Tuchscherer cautioned that they're a tougher squad than their 2-8 record would suggest.

"It's a team that's had a pretty tough schedule in the first half of the season, so their record and some of their stats might be a bit deceiving," Tuchscherer said of the Bobcats, whose early schedule included two games apiece vs. perennial powerhouses Saskatchewan and Regina. "This isn't a team that we can take lightly at all. Lauren Anderson has turned into one of the better players in Canada West – she's a super-effective scorer, and really dangerous within 18 feet."

Players to watch: Cascades fourth-year forward Taylor Claggett is looking to build on an incredible first half. Over UFV's first 12 games, the 5'11" Mission, B.C. product averaged 19.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, ranking third and 11th in Canada West in those respective categories. She also set conference records for free throws made (20) and attempted (24) in a single game back on Nov. 9 vs. Alberta. The Bobcats counter with a talented veteran forward of their own in 6'1" fifth-year Lauren Anderson. She's tied for the team lead in scoring at 13.3 points per game, and ranks eighth in Canada West in rebounding (9.0 per game).