The Carleton Ravens have a lighter-than-usual weekend ahead of them on the court as they head North to face Algoma.
With only one game on the schedule, Carleton will look to continue their winning streaks with the women riding a four-game win streak while the men are holding down three straight. The women enter the weekend's contest ranked first in the OUA East and second in the U SPORTS Top 10, while the men are quickly closing the gap on the top of the OUA East at 8-6.
It's been all about the depth for the defending women's champions, the Ravens have averaged an impressive 39.0 points per game from their bench in 2024 while being second in U SPORTS in points scored and field goal percentage despite shooting fewer threes per game than almost everyone in U SPORTS.
At +16.5 the Ravens have the best rebounds margin per game while holding teams to just 54.4 points per game, good for sixth in the country.
The 2-10 Thunderbirds enter the contest on the other end of the spectrum, though they did just pick up their second win of the year, a 49-45 win over Lakehead. Algoma isn't scared to shoot the three, attempting 24.1 per game, but is averaging only 21.8%.
Look for Kyana-Jade Poulin to play a big role for Carleton, the Athlete of the Week presented by McKeen Metro Glebe, opened the Ravens' weekend with 14 points and two assists on Friday night while shooting 2-for-4 from beyond the arc. On Saturday night, Poulin was in full control with three steals and four rebounds while generating five assists in 25 minutes of play.
A young Carleton Ravens team has started to find their stride in the OUA, with veterans Wazir Latiff and Athlete of the Week MJ Okado getting hot, Carleton and their band of rookies, are on a role. Winners of three straight, Carleton enter the weekend fourth in U SPORTS in offensive rebounds and first in rebound margin at +15.5 per game. With 139 rebounds, 9.9. per game, newcomer Noah Horobetz Simpson has been leading the charge on the glass, as he's found himself 3rd in the country in rebounds. Horobetz Simpson's 59 offensive rebounds are second in Canada while his 60.0% field goal shooting is fifth in the country.
Offensively, Carleton are 11th in the country with 1109 points, a matchup that may seem daunting to a Thunderbirds team that's 42nd in points allowed with 85.4. If Algoma wants to keep up with Carleton it may come down to fouls. Algoma is seventh in U SPORTS with only 16.8 personals per game, while doing their work at the line shooting a tenth-best 72.7%.
