Friday, Feb. 11: Cascades (9-5, 3rd in West Division) at UBC Thunderbirds (13-2, 1st in West Division), 8 p.m., Vancouver, B.C.
Saturday, Feb. 12: Cascades at Victoria Vikes (9-1, 2nd in West Division), 5 p.m., Victoria, B.C.
Webcast: CanadaWest.tv presented by Co-op

THE MATCH-UPS

The Cascades not only face a tough travel schedule, with two games in two nights in two different cities (separated by a ferry ride), they also happen to be playing the top two teams in the West Division. Facing UBC and Victoria will be good playoff prep, and in terms of playoff seeding, the Cascades can finish no lower than third in the West Division based on last week's results.

RECENT FORM

The Cascades had a bit of a Jekyll-and-Hyde performance on the road last week. Playing three games in four days, they opened with an 80-76 win over Thompson Rivers, then dropped a 91-79 decision at UBC Okanagan before bouncing back to blow out that same UBCO team 97-79 the next day.

The Vikes and Thunderbirds clashed last weekend in Victoria, and it was the hosts turning in a pair of eyebrow-raising performances, sweeping the previously undefeated T-Birds by scores of 90-84 and 96-89.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Dylan Kinley, UFV – The third-year guard had a breakout game to spark the win at TRU last Thursday – he counted four three-pointers among his 22 points, and added seven rebounds and three assists. Kinley ranks fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 10.6 points per game, and sits second on the squad in assists (2.8).

James Woods, UBC – The T-Birds' leading scorer ranks sixth overall in Canada West, averaging 18.5 points per game. He proved instrumental the last time UFV and UBC met, back on Nov. 6 – he scored a team-high 22 points to spark a fourth-quarter comeback as the T-Birds won 80-72. 

Diego Maffia, UVic – The former B.C. high school phenom out of Victoria's Oak Bay has emerged as an elite scorer at a sophomore at UVic – his 18.8 points per night rank fourth in CW, and only Winnipeg's Don Dayrit (3.6) averages more three-pointers per game than Maffia's 3.4.

QUOTABLE

"I think we came in a little bit lackadaisical, and UBCO got up big on us early – we fought back but we couldn't finish it. The second day, we came out more organized. We played as a team. We just had a different mentality going into that second game – just to come out and punch them in the mouth, pretty much. Come out with energy, and play more as a team." – Cascades forward Aidan Wilson, on how his team turned things around over their two games at UBC Okanagan

"UVic and UBC, they're two of the best teams in our league. It's going to be a tough road weekend, but we're just as talented as some of those types of teams. We've just got to put it all together – have a great week of practice, come in with energy, play as a team, and stay cohesive." – Wilson, looking ahead to the UBC-UVic road swing