OTTAWA - The Carleton Ravens will look to kick off their defence of the Bronze Baby when they face the RSEQ Champion Bishop's Gaiters in the first round of the INDOCHINO U SPORTS Final 8, presented by Victory Creative Group.
The OUA finalist Ravens earned the number three seed after sitting atop the U SPORTS Top 10 for the season's final seven weeks. With a perfect 22-0 in the regular season, the Ravens had not lost since preseason play before falling to the number two seed Ottawa in the Critelli Cup final. Carleton was the number one seed in 2023 and the number two seed at last season's tournament.
Carleton and Bishop's last met in 2022 when the two teams had a preseason game at Carleton. The Ravens won that matchup 72-68 and have won eight in a row dating back to 2010. But the two teams have never met in the playoffs.
Experience could prove to be a huge factor in this opening contest. The Gaiters will make their first appearance in the tournament since 2004, while the Ravens are making the program's eighth trip to the dance, with two Ravens entering their fourth career tournaments.
The Gaiters' star is RSEQ Player of the Year Victoria Gauna. Gauna led the RSEQ with 8.7 rebounds per game along with 14.6 points. Second-team all star Victoria Lafleur and all-rookie Shaylan Greaves rounded out the team's all-star selections.
The Ravens and Gaiters tip off the tournament on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. PDT / 4:00 p.m. EDT with the game broadcast live on CBC Sports digital platforms in English.
