The quest for the Wilson Cup will go through the Tait McKenzie Centre as the York University men's basketball team will host the Laurentian Voyageurs in the opening round of the OUA playoffs on Wednesday (Feb. 25).
 
Playoff Format
New this year to the OUA, the top three teams from each division all qualified for the postseason. All 12 qualifying teams, regardless of division position, were ranked based on RPI (Rating Percentage Index) to determine the playoff bracket. The top four teams based on these rankings have been awarded byes through the first round of the playoffs.
 
The Match-up – OUA No. 8 York (10-9) vs. OUA No. 9 Laurentian (7-12)
 
Winner will play OUA No. 1 Ottawa (18-1) on Saturday (Feb. 28) at Montpetit Hall in Ottawa, Ont.
 
Game Details
Wednesday, Feb. 25 @ 8pm, OUA.tv
 
Fan Promotions
Investors Group Playoff Payoff at halftime. Contestants have the opportunity to win cash in this free throw contest.
 
Home/Away Records
York – 6-4 at home
Laurentian – 5-5 on the road
 
Last Meetings
 
The two teams met only once this season with the Lions winning convincingly 83-66 at the Tait McKenzie Centre on Jan. 9. Nick Tufegdzich (Tecumseh, Ont.) led the charge with 21 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. Nathan Culbreath (Kingston, Ont.) chipped in with 20 points.
 
Last season, the Voyageurs eliminated the Lions from the OUA playoffs at the Ben Avery Gymnasium in Sudbury, Ont. Down 13 in the fourth quarter, the Lions went on a 15-0 run to take the lead with just over two minutes remaining. Tychon Carter-Newman sank a last-second lay-up to give the Voyageurs the 86-85 victory.
 
QUICK FACTS
 
York

• Snapped a two-game losing streak on Wednesday (Feb. 18) by beating Toronto 81-72 at the Goldring Centre in their regular season finale.
• Finished the season in second place in the OUA East with 20 points and ranked No. 8 in the OUA according to RPI.
• As a team, they finished eighth in the conference in scoring with 75.7 points per game and seventh with 42.9% field goal percentage.
• Defensively, they are allowing 79.1 points per game and opponents are shooting 42.2%, which are both tenth lowest in the OUA.

 
Laurentian

• Finished the season with 14 points and third in the OUA North division behind Ottawa and Carleton. According to RPI, they are ranked ninth.
• Head into the match-up having lost three in a row and five out of their last six games.
• One of the lowest scoring teams averaging 69.6 points per game, which is 14^th in the league.
• They are giving up 76.9 points per game, which is fourth highest in the OUA and allowing opponents to shoot 44.2% from the field, which is fifth highest.

 
PLAYERS TO WATCH
 
York
 
F Nick Tufegdzich – Named an OUA all-star for the first time last season. He is the seventh highest scorer in the OUA with 19.1 points per game and fourth in the CIS in rebounding with 10.1. Is the active OUA leader in career rebounds with 704, just ten behind Aaron Doornekamp for 11^th all-time.
 
F Nathan Culbreath – Named to the OUA all-rookie team last year. The second highest on the team with 15.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Scored a career-high 36 points including six three-pointers vs. Toronto on Wednesday.
 
Laurentian
 
G Ryan Bennett – The team's leading scorer 16.5 points per game, which is one spot better than York's Culbreath for 14^th in the OUA. He is fourth in the province and tenth in the country with 51 total three-pointers made.
 
F Tychon Carter-Newman – Averages 15.3 points and a team-high 7.2 rebounds per game.