Varsity Athletics | 6/23/2026 1:36:00 PM

Two teams separated by a dozen subway stops will do battle to open the 2026-27 OUA basketball season, as the York University Lions will battle the Toronto Varsity Blues on Oct. 23 at the Tait McKenzie Centre, the conference announced on Tuesday afternoon.

The Lions and Blues bookend the regular season, as they will also meet to conclude the year on Feb. 13 at the Goldring Centre. The teams met twice a season ago, with the Lions women's team sweeping the Blues, while the Toronto men's team did the same to the Lions.

Some additional schedule highlights include: 

• York will play a total of 10 games against their OUA Central division rivals once again this season, battling Brock (Nov. 14 at York; Jan. 29 at Brock), McMaster (Nov. 27 at McMaster; Jan. 15 at York), Lakehead (Jan. 8-9 at York) and the defending Wilson and Critelli Cup champion TMU Bold (Jan. 30 at TMU, Feb. 12 at York).

• The Lions will host the Laurentian Voyageurs for their annual School Day Games on Jan. 22 at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. The women will kick things off in what is a rematch of the Lions first-round playoff victory over the Voyaguers, their first postseason win in seven years.

• York makes its biennial trip to the nation's capital in early February, taking on the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Feb. 6 and the Wilson and Critelli Cup finalist Carleton Ravens on Feb. 7 in Ottawa. The Lions women's team earned an overtime win over the Gee-Gees last season.

York 2026-27 schedule:

Oct. 23: vs. Toronto – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Oct. 24: vs. Nipissing – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Oct. 30: at Windsor – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Oct. 31: at Western – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Nov. 7: at Alogma – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Nov. 13: at Waterloo – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Nov. 14: vs. Brock – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Nov. 21: vs. Queen's – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Nov. 27: at McMaster – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Nov. 28: vs. Ontario Tech – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Jan. 8: vs. Lakehead – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Jan. 9: vs. Lakehead – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Jan. 15: vs. McMaster – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Jan. 16: vs. Laurier – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Jan 22: vs. Laurentian – 11:00 am (W); 1:00 pm (M)

Jan. 23: at Guelph: – 1:00 pm (W); 3:00 pm (M)

Jan. 28: at McMaster – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Jan. 29: at Brock – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Feb. 6: at Ottawa – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)

Feb. 7: at Carleton – 6:00 pm (W); 8:00 pm (M)