The X-Women and X-Men basketball teams are both competing in exhibition tournaments in Halifax in this first weekend of 2015, January 2-4. The games mark their first action in the New Year and first since AUS regular season play ended on November 29th.
The X-Women will be competing at the 6th annual Mount Saint Vincent Dyrick McDermott Invitational tournament along with St. Thomas, Mount Allison, Dalhousie, the host MSVU and a team of AUS all-stars.
X-Women head coach Augy Jones comments, “We are looking forward to the Dyrick McDermott tournament this weekend. After a month off and a five-day training camp, we are excited to start the second half of our season.”
“Our coaches and players have had lots of time to reflect on our start to the season and feel we are continuing to improve. We also welcome back two-time AUS all-star Kolbi Roper to our line up after limited action due to a serious ankle injury.”
Their first game is Friday at 1:00 pm versus Mount Allison, followed by an 8:00 pm match against the host MSVU squad. The X-Women will play St. Thomas on Saturday at 6:00 pm. All games will be webcast live on http://sportscanada.tv/index.php/basketball/college-bb/acaa/129.
The tournament championship game is slated for Sunday at 1:00 pm. The complete MSVU Dyrick McDermott schedule and results can be found at the tournament website by clicking here.
The X-Men will be competing in the 24th annual Rod Shoveller Memorial tournament at Dalhousie University. StFX are regular participants in this annual event. Also competing in the 2015 edition will be Saint Mary’s, Ottawa, UPEI, Acadia, McGill, Dalhousie and MSVU.
Veteran X-Men head coach Steve Konchalski comments, "The X-Men are always excited to play in the Shoveller tournament, one of the most prestigious tournaments in the CIS with great tradition."
"We are planning to get a good start to the new year as our young team continues to develop. It will be a challenge to play without starting forward Kevin Bercy, but I have confidence that our team will step up."
StFX will meet UPEI in the quarterfinals Friday at 3:00 pm. The game will be webcast live on www.austv.ca. Other quarterfinal match-ups include Saint Mary’s and Ottawa at 1:00 pm, Acadia and McGill at 6:00 pm and Dalhousie and MSVU at 8:00 pm.
The winners will advance to the semi-finals on Saturday at 6:00 and 8:00 pm while the quarterfinal losers will be relegated to the consolation games at 1:00 and 3:00 pm on Saturday. The tournament championship game is scheduled for Sunday at 3:00 pm. The complete Dalhousie Rod Shoveller tournament schedule and results can be found at the tournament website by clicking here.
Acadia are the defending tournament champions, StFX last won the DAL tourney in 2011-12 and 2010-11. They have eight tournament titles to their claim over the 23 year history, the most of any other team.
The X-Women currently hold a 3-4 record in AUS regular season play and are tied for fifth place in the conference. The X-Men are in seventh place at 2-5 in their respective conference. Both squads resume AUS regular season play on Tuesday, January 6th when they will host Cape Breton at 6:00 and 8:00 pm at the StFX Oland Centre in a pair of games worth four points apiece in the standings.