GAME INFORMATION

Date: Sunday, Mar. 6
Time: 2:00 p.m. CST
Opponent: Calgary Dinos
Location: Calgary, Alta.
Venue: Jack Simpson Gymnasium
Watch: Canadawest.tv

A win and they're back home, in front of their home fans on home court with a chance for conference glory.

That's the motto for Lisa Thomaidis this weekend, as she looks to lead the University of Saskatchewan women's basketball team back to the Canada West Final Four — a tournament they would play host to at the PAC.

But first up for the Huskies is a meeting against the Calgary Dinos in the conference quarter-finals on Sunday afternoon.

With Canada West's new bracket-style single-game knockout 17-team postseason, the playoffs opened on Thursday. 17 teams have already been whittled down to eight. 

But today is Saskatchewan's time to begin the postseason, as they enter the matchup as the Canada West's number-one seed and the number-two ranked team in the nation.

Thomaidis will be counting on a veteran core of Summer Masikewich and Libby Epoch to lead the Huskies back to conference glory, as the program pursues their fifth Canada West Championship and eighth straight U SPORTS Final 8 appearance.

The meeting against Calgary is the first for Saskatchewan outside of the Canada West's East Division this season and also the first postseason meeting against the Dinos since 2010-11. 

The Huskies have met with the Dinos in the postseason three times in program history, winning all three of the matchups dating back to 2005-06, as well as nine of the last 12 meetings — two trends they'll look to continue this weekend.

After a 7-9 regular-season that seen them close the campaign with four-straight losses, the eighth-seeded Dinos snapped their losing skid on Saturday afternoon on their home floor, with a 70-58 win over the Victoria Vikes, punching their ticket to the quarter-final. Calgary will play another game in the familiar confines of Jack Simpson Gymnasium — something they'll look to use to their advantage come tip-off.

But in their way are a pair of Canada West all-stars. The aforementioned Masikewich, who earned the second Canada West first-team all-star nod of her career on Thursday and the fourth total, marking four straight seasons the Calgary product has earned the nod. Meanwhile, Carly Ahlstrom, who finished sixth in conference scoring with 17.1 points-per-game this season, earned the first all-star nod of her young career, earning a second-team nod.

They figure to play big roles for Saskatchewan — just as they have all season long — on Sunday afternoon as the Huskies program looks to begin writing the next chapter in the storied Thomaidis era.

Thoughts from Thomaidis:

Thomaidis on the excitement of the postseason:

"We're certainly excited that it's playoff time and yeah, we're really pumped to get going."

Thomaidis on the new playoff format:

"It's just such a weird, awkward format this year. For us to have the number-one seat and have to travel, not have a practice the day before we play and potentially play a team on their home court being the higher seed — you're not getting much reward in this first round, that's for sure."

Thomaidis on knowing Sunday's opponent until late Saturday afternoon:

"Weird forsure, this hasn't happened before. We're used to having a week to prepare for whoever we're playing. So this is a different feel to have to be ready for two different teams. It's a very short turn around in terms of getting your scout ready and preparing to play."

Thomaidis on being one win away from hosting Canada West Final Four: 

"Being able to host the Canada West Final Four would be amazing. We've had some massive moments here over the past number of years and just being able to do that and play on our home court again for our fifth year players and for them to have that moment — being in the Final Four would be great for us."

Thomaidis on the all-star nod for Masikewich:

"So well deserved. Summer has proven she is one of the best players in the country. She's had a really strong year to cap off her fifth-year. To finish off on that note, it's awesome. It says a lot about her and the consistency she's played with."

Thomaidis on the all-star nod for Ahlstrom:

"For her to step into this role and to produce in the way that she has — she has really worked on her game. I think she is really starting to find her way out there and let her athleticism show itself. She's one of the best athletes in Canada, running around out there. She had the second best three point shooting percentage in the Canada West and with the frame that she has and her ability to attack the hoop. She's had a very good year and as the season's gone on, she's played better and better.For her to step into that role for us, after the offensive firepower that we lost two years ago is huge for our team."

Scouting the Dinos:

• Veronika Lavergne and Pollyana Storie led the way for Calgary in their win over Victoria, each registering 13 points for a Dinos team that outscored the Vikes 42-32 in the second half
• Annacy Palmer, an Edmonton product, was the lone Dino to receive conference recognition
• Palmer led the Dinos with 12.9 points-per-game during the regular-season
• Calgary was fourth in the Canada West in three-point attempts per-game during the regular-season
• The meeting will be the first between Christy Fehr and the Huskies. The former Saskatchewan guard, who was a part of the 2019-20 U SPORTS National Championship, transferred to Calgary for postgraduate school. Fehr recorded six points in 19 minutes of action in the Dinos win over the Vikes win on Saturday