Dinos Basketball Set for Highly Anticipated Home Opener
The University of Calgary Dinos basketball teams are finally ready to defend their home court as they welcome the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades for a weekend series that marks the home opener for both squads. The women's team enters with a perfect 4-0 conference record, while the men's team boasts a strong 3-1 start to the 2025-26 Canada West season.
Women's Team Aims to Continue Dominant Run
The Dinos women's basketball team has been nothing short of spectacular in the early going, climbing to No. 5 in the latest U SPORTS national rankings. Their four consecutive victories have come with an impressive average margin of victory of 26.0 points, demonstrating their dominance on both ends of the court.
Fifth-year forward Julia Tuchscherer has been a driving force behind this success, leading her team and ranking third in Canada West with 18.8 points per game. The team will look to extend their winning streak when they face UFV, who arrives with a 2-3 conference record.
The Cascades are coming off a six-point loss to UBCO but have previously secured victories over Victoria and Trinity Western. This matchup carries extra significance as UFV graduated six players from the squad that eliminated the Dinos from last year's playoffs in a Canada West quarterfinal.
Men's Team Brings High-Powered Offense Home
The Dinos men's basketball team makes its long-awaited return to home court for the first time since claiming last season's Canada West banner. With a 3-1 record, the team has shown offensive firepower, averaging 85.8 points per game – the second-highest in Canada West and sixth nationally.
This offensive output is particularly impressive given the number of new players still learning to play together. Head coach Sarah Besselink, in her first year, already guided the team to a 63-47 victory over UFV in non-conference action six weeks ago.
UFV's men's team also holds a 2-3 record and is led by third-year forward Ismael Hernandez, who averages 16.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. The Cascades struggled early with losses to UBC, Victoria and Trinity Western but rebounded with decisive wins over the Spartans and UBCO.
Game Schedule and Historical Context
The weekend series features back-to-back games for both teams. The women's games are scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m., while the men's contests follow at 8 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Historically, the Dinos hold a 10-5 conference record against UFV. While the teams haven't met in conference play since January 2023, they've faced off four times in non-conference action, with Calgary winning all four matchups.
This home opener represents more than just another series – it's an opportunity for both Dinos teams to establish home court dominance early in the season and build momentum toward another championship run.
