The VIU Mariners will try to overcome a couple of obstacles as they look to keep up their perfect record in the PacWest.
Vancouver Island University’s basketball program plays host to the Quest Kermodes and Langara Falcons this weekend (Feb. 5-6) at the VIU gym.
The M’s men (14-0) still have seven games to go in the regular season, but based on the standings, the second-place Kermodes (12-2) and the third-place Falcons (9-5) shape up as the greatest challenges.
The Mariners want the wins this weekend, but the undefeated record isn’t really on the radar.
“It’s still a ways away and something we’re not really going to focus on,” said Matt Kuzminski, VIU coach. “We obviously want to win every game and these guys, being two of the top teams in our league, we’ll be really excited to play good games.”
Bryson Cox, VIU shooting guard, said the Mariners take every weekend the same – as another chance to compete, focusing on the opponent at hand. Against Quest and Langara, he said, VIU will have to push the pace and play hard.
“We’ve got to have 100 per cent effort from every one of our guys, because we know [the opponents] will be into it because we have a target on our backs,” Cox said. “So we’ve got to come in and be ready to play as hard as we can without being slack at all.”
John Thompson, VIU point guard, agreed that his team’s approach this week isn’t any different than usual.
“You would think so because of the level of the game, but not really…” he said. “We’ll be fine as long as we do our roles and play basketball like we know how to play.”
So the process might not change, but game day might feel different for fans as the PacWest’s best crash the court.
“There might be a little show, for sure,” Thompson said. “All four times we’ve matched up this year so far it’s been good games … I think it’ll be intense, it’ll be fun.”
GAME ON … The VIU men face Quest on Friday at 8 p.m. and Langara on Saturday at 3 p.m. The women’s games are Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m.
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