(HALIFAX, N.S.) - Atlantic University Sport is pleased to announce the 2014-15 men's and women's regular season basketball schedules. Both seasons are set to begin on Friday, Nov. 7.
The men's and women's format will once again see teams compete in a single division where they will each play a total of 20 regular season games. Following the regular season, the top six teams will qualify for postseason play.
The winning team from each AUS championship will advance to the respective CIS championship.
Link to full 2014-15 AUS men's basketball schedule here.
Link to full 2014-15 AUS women's basketball schedule here.
MEN
All eight AUS men's basketball teams will see action during the opening week of regular season play.
On opening night, Friday, Nov, 7, the Acadia Axemen will travel to Fredericton to take on the UNB Varsity Reds at 8 p.m. The Axemen finished first in the 2013-14 regular season standings with a 15-5 record, but were upset by StFX in the AUS championship semifinal.
Reigning CIS scoring leader and rookie of the year Javon Masters returns for his sophomore season with the Varsity Reds, who look to improve upon last season's 10-10 regular season record.
The Dalhousie Tigers will host the UPEI Panthers in the second opening night matchup. The Tigers will look to improve after missing the 2013-14 postseason, while the Panthers finished third in last year's regular season standings before they were eliminated by the Saint Mary's Huskies in the championship semifinal.
All eight teams will see action Saturday, Nov. 8 at 8 p.m.
In a rematch of the 2014 championship final, the reigning AUS champion Huskies will host the runner-up StFX X-Men in Halifax. Saint Mary's will raise two AUS championship banners to kick off their first home games of the season after both the men's and women's Huskies squads took home the 2013-14 titles.
The Cape Breton Capers will host the Memorial Sea-Hawks Saturday in their season opener. The Capers claimed the sixth and final playoff spot in last year's AUS championship and were ousted in the quarterfinal round, while the Sea-Hawks missed the postseason.
Dalhousie will again host UPEI Saturday night, while UNB plays host to Acadia once again.
The 2014-15 regular season concludes on Saturday, Feb. 21.
The 2015 Subway AUS Men's Basketball Championship will once again be hosted at the Halifax Metro Centre from Friday, Feb. 26 to Sunday, March 1.
The winner of the six-team tournament will earn the AUS banner and a berth in the 2015 CIS Final 8 championship which will be hosted by Ryerson University in Toronto from March 12 to 15.
WOMEN
The 2014-15 AUS women's basketball schedule will once again run parallel to the men's, and will also kick off on Friday, Nov. 7.
On opening night, the Varsity Reds and Axewomen squads will both be seeking redemption after missing last year's postseason as UNB hosts Acadia at 6 p.m.
Dalhousie and UPEI, each put out in last season's championship semifinal round, will face off in the second opening night game at 6 p.m. in Halifax. They play one another again Saturday evening, also at 6 p.m.
In a rematch of the 2014 Subway AUS women's basketball championship final, the CIS silver medallists, the Saint Mary's Huskies will host the AUS runner-up StFX X-Women at 6 p.m. in Halifax.
The Capers and the Sea-Hawks, both eliminated in the 2014 championship quarterfinal round, will face off Saturday and Sunday, at 6 p.m. and 1 p.m. respectively, in a pair of opening weekend matchups with Memorial travelling to Cape Breton.
The women's 2014-15 regular season also concludes on Saturday, Feb. 21.
The 2014 Subway AUS Women's Basketball Championship will be hosted by the AUS office at the Halifax Metro Centre, for the first time this season. It will be held in conjunction with the men's championship Feb. 26 to March 1.
The format will mirror the men's with the AUS champion advancing to the CIS Final 8 championship. This year's women's national championship will be hosted by Laval, March 13 to 15.