Action-packed weekend includes Duckworth Challenge for basketball, seniors night, volleyball

The gym and arena will be rocking this weekend, as Manitoba hosts numerous big-time events. The 32nd edition of the Duckworth Challenge continues Friday with basketball. It’s also seniors night that night for basketball and hockey, while volleyball also faces cross-town rival Winnipeg in the second of a home and home. Thursday at the U of W kicks off the festivities of leg two of the Duckworth, featuring the men’s and women’s volleyball teams. Click here to get tickets to all home events. Can’t make the action live? Head to canadawest.tv.

No. 10 Women’s volleyball (12-6) versus Winnipeg (13-5)

• Both teams are right in the conversation to host a playoff game. The Bisons are just two points behind the Wesmen for third, with the top four hosting a first round series. 
• Bisons head coach Ken Bentley can eclipse 1100 career Canada West wins with a victory on either night.
• Manitoba is on a roll, having won six games in a row.
• The two teams have split their last four games, with the Bisons holding an 8-4 record over their last 12 against Winnipeg.
• After beginning her career with the Bisons, 6’4″ middle Haille Bujan has spent the last three with Winnipeg. She’s one of three Wesmen with at least 48 blocks. On the other side, Manitoba’s Eve Catojo is second in the conference with 1.16 blocks per set, while teammate Brenna Bedosky (click here for her story) has the third best hitting percentage in CanWest (minimum three attacks per set), at .353. 
• Bisons rookie Raya Surinx (click here for her story) is fourth in the conference with 225 kills. She’s tied with Winnipeg’s top attacker Emma Parker. 
• Both teams are in the top five in digs per set (15.7 for Winnipeg, 14.23 for Manitoba), led by Manitoba’s libero Julia Arnold, with 256 digs and 4.13 digs per set.

Men’s volleyball (7-11) versus Winnipeg (6-12)

• Both teams are just outside the playoff mix. Manitoba is ninth and Winnipeg is tenth, just two and four points out of a top eight spot currently.
• The two teams have split their last six games against each other. All three of the Bisons’ victories during that span have been 3-0.
• Manitoba has endured adversity all season with injuries to key players. Right side Nicoles Carter — a former Wesmen — stepped up last weekend and will be a player to watch all weekend after a career high 19 kills last Saturday against Saskatchewan. 
• Manitoba is fourth in service aces, at 113. Left side and leading attacker Eric Ogaranko (click here for his story) leads the way with 26 (eighth in CanWest), while veteran setter Jack Mandryk has 21. 
• Speaking of Mandryk, he needs 94 more assists to reach the top ten in conference history (2,493).
• Winnipeg is led by athletic attacker Nigel Nielsen, who has 220 kills, while Paxtoon Koop has 43 total blocks. 
• Bisons middle Jonah Dueck (click here for his story) leads Canada West with 1.26 assists per set. 

Women’s basketball (4-12) versus No. 5 Winnipeg (12-4)

• Friday’s contest will kick off the final leg of the Duckworth Challenge, following soccer from the fall and volleyball from Thursday at Winnipeg. 
• Winnipeg has won 20 games in a row versus Manitoba. The Herd’s season could be on the line this weekend, making for what should be a thrilling atmosphere. 
• Friday’s game will be the last home contest in the careers of Keziah Brothers and Lauryn Manaigre, who will be honoured pre-game.
• Manitoba’s Lauren Bartlett (click here for her story) recorded one of the best individual performances in Bisons history last weekend, putting up a rare triple double with 16 points, 11 assists and ten steals. Her assists total was a new single game program record, breaking a 16-year best of ten, while her ten assists were the second most in a game in program history. This season, Bartlett’s 5.6 assists per game are a program record, while her 33.1 minutes per game are the most of any Bisons player throughout their career. 
• On the opposite side is one of the best guards in the nation on Kyanna Giles. She leads the conference in points per game, at 21.7 while fellow back court veteran Robyn Boulanger leads Canada West with 50 three pointers. 
• Veteran Bisons forward Autumn Agar reached a new career high in points this season, with 143 (click here for her story).
• Senior Bisons guard Keziah Brothers has recorded double figures in six games in a row, a personal best. She’s also fourth in program history in blocks, with 44. 

No. 8 Men’s basketball (15-1) versus No. 10 Winnipeg (13-3)

• Friday’s contest concludes the final leg of the Duckworth Challenge, following soccer from the fall, volleyball from Thursday at Winnipeg and women’s basketball from the game prior. 
• Friday’s game will be the last home regular season contest in the careers of Elijah Lostracco and Isaac Miller-Jose, who will be honoured pre-game. 
• This series has immense playoff implications. Both teams are in a good spot to host a playoff series, and can increase their chances with a good showing on Friday and Saturday. 
• Manitoba has won five of their last six games against Winnipeg, however the Wesmen won the most recent contest from last season. 
• Defensive intensity will be a major story in this game. Manitoba is first and Winnipeg is second in points per game allowed, at 70.8 and 74.5, respectively. 
• Bisons guard Mason Kraus (click here for his story) is second in the conference, with 44 steals. Alberto Gordo and Shawn Maranan are fifth and sixth, with 34 and 32 respectively. Kraus’ 2.8 steals per game are second in single season program history. 
• Miller-Jose (click here for his story) is tied for second in the conference in blocked shots, with 29. That total is sixth in single season program history. 
• Manitoba’s rookie sensation Simon Hildebrandt (click here for his story) will go toe-to-toe with long-time friend and neighbor Donald Stewart from Winnipeg. The former is 11th in the conference with 16 points per game, while the latter is scoring 11 points per game and averaging 5.5 rebounds per game. 
• This contest could come down to the depth from either side. The Bisons love to roll out their bench, getting as many as 12 guys into games. Ten different players have recorded at least 137 minutes. 

Women’s hockey (11-12-1-0) versus Calgary (11-9-3-1)

• Manitoba is just three points behind Calgary for a playoff spot. 
• The two teams split their first half series in Calgary. The Dinos won the first game 4-0 and the Bisons won the second 5-4 in overtime. 
• Saturday’s game will be the last home contest in the careers of Chloe Snaith, Vanessa Klimpke and Trechelle Bunn, who will be honoured pre-game.
• The Herd have had ice in their veins in overtime this season. Including their series against the Dinos, they are 4-1 in the extra session, and 6-1 dating back to last year. 
• Five different Bisons scored in Manitoba’s 5-4 win over Calgary last November. Overall, 19 different members of the Herd have lit the lamp this year, including nine goals from the blue line. 
• Veteran forward Kate Gregoire (click here for her story) has a career high ten goals this season, which is in the top five in the conference. She also has a point in five games in a row.
• Alli Borrow leads the Dinos with 19 points, which is tied for sixth in the conference.