Ottawa’s two universities will square off in the annual Capital Hoops Classic rivalry game on Friday, in what will be a battle of two of the country’s top basketball programs.
On the men’s side, both the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees (third) and Carleton Ravens (sixth) placed in the top 10 of this week’s U Sports national rankings.
The Gee-Gees currently lead the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) east division, thanks to the team’s 17-2 start to this season. While the Ravens have won 15 of their first 19 games, leaving them in second place.
This year’s Capital Hoops Classic will be the 18th iteration of the marquee matchup, which began in 2007. Carleton holds a 13-4 historical record in the rivalry game, which often receives heightened interest from the student population.
The game has an 8 p.m. ET tip-off at TD Place in Lansdowne. Last year’s matchup saw more than 6,000 people in attendance.
Both squads are guaranteed to make the OUA playoffs, which gets underway later this month. The conference champion and runner-up will both qualify for the U Sports national collegiate championship, hosted by the University of British Columbia in March.
UOttawa beat Carleton in a matchup last December, winning 71-62.
Carleton’s men’s team has won 17 Canadian championships, all in the last 22 years, which is the most in history. The Gee-Gees have twice been runner-up (both times to Carleton), but are yet to win a title.
That being said, UOttawa are the reigning bronze medallists, while Carleton is coming off its worst season in more than 20 years, as they were bounced by Brock University in the opening round of the OUA playoffs and failed to make the national championship.
On the women’s side, Carleton’s squad is one of two teams left in the country that have yet to lose this season. The Ravens are currently on a 19-game winning streak heading into Friday’s game, and they placed first in the latest U Sports rankings.
The women’s teams will also play at TD Place, with a start time of 6 p.m. ET, and it projects to be a close game. UOttawa’s squad sits fifth in the national rankings, and has only lost two games all year, compared to 17 wins.
In the only other matchup between the teams this season, Carleton emerged victorious, winning 81-59.
