U Sports is taking March Madness to new heights by hosting Canada’s university men’s and women’s basketball championships together for the first time at the University of British Columbia’s Point Grey campus.
UBC athletic director Kavie Toor anticipates a groundbreaking event. “It’s going to feel like a basketball festival,” he said. “Probably similar to [U.S.] March Madness.”
The men’s and women’s Final 8 tournaments run from Thursday to Sunday across Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre and War Memorial Gymnasium. CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem will provide live coverage. Game schedules are interwoven, ensuring full integration, a key goal for Toor. The men’s final tips off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT, followed by the women’s final at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
“We viewed this as a tremendous opportunity to set a new path forward,” Toor said. “We hope that after these championships, other schools will take notice and adopt dual championships. It elevates varsity sports as a whole and places the women’s championship on equal footing with the men’s.”
However, organizing the event came with logistical challenges. UBC successfully lobbied U Sports for an extra day in the men’s tournament to accommodate the schedule. “We see our role as leading and taking risks to create something new, powerful, and impactful,” Toor added.
Beyond the games, UBC’s basketball festival will feature a “She’s Got Next” women-in-sports panel, a coaching clinic with Toronto Raptors assistant Jama Mahlalela, and basketball camps in Indigenous communities. The Larry O’Brien Trophy will also make an appearance.
For Vancouver basketball fans, the event offers a weekend devoted to the sport, especially as Toronto celebrates its WNBA expansion team—something Toor jokingly admitted sparked “a lot of jealousy.” The Final 8 also serves as an opportunity for new fans to witness university basketball at an elite level.
UBC’s men’s and women’s teams secured their spots through qualification, rather than a host berth. The women’s team, seeded fifth, faces No. 4 Saint Mary’s, while the men’s team, seeded third, takes on No. 6 UPEI. The matchups mark first-time encounters for both squads.
Playing at home provides both advantages and added pressure. UBC enters as a fan favorite but comes off losses in the Canada West final. “If we can get past that first game and settle into the tournament, I like our chances,” Toor said.
Both teams boast depth, a key asset in a high-pressure setting. “Our coaching staffs are making sure players stay composed. Sometimes when the stage is big, there’s a tendency to force things,” Toor explained.
This historic championship marks a defining moment for Canadian university basketball as both men’s and women’s teams compete on the same stage for the first time.
Source: Swifteradio.com
