HALIFAX — A look at the eight teams competing in the U Sports men's basketball championship Friday through Sunday at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax:
No. 1 CARLETON RAVENS
Overall record: 25-1
National title history: 13 championships (seven in a row from 2011-17)
Scoring leader: Eddie Ekiyor (13.9 points per game)
The skinny: Top defence in the country, allowing just 59.3 points per game ... Longtime coach Dave Smart looking to guide team to eighth national title in past nine years.
No. 2 CALGARY DINOS
Overall record: 25-0
National title history: One championship (2018)
Scoring leader: Mambi Diawara (17.9)
The skinny: Won by an average of more than 24 points in Canada West Conference play ... Defending champs were top five in the country in scoring, rebounding, points per game allowed and opponents' field-goal percentage.
No. 3 RYERSON RAMS
Overall record: 23-3
National title history: No championships
Scoring leader: JV Mukama (18.4)
The skinny: Rams achieved No. 1 national ranking for second time in team history after upsetting Carleton in Ottawa ... Back court of Mukama and Myles Charles paces the Rams offence.
No. 4 UBC THUNDERBIRDS
Overall record: 21-6
National title history: Two championships (most recent in 1972)
Scoring leader: Jadon Cohee (19.3)
The skinny: Canada West finalists led country in rebounding ... Cohee a transfer from NCAA Division I Southern Utah ... Coach Kevin Hanson hit 300 wins for his career this season.
No. 5 DALHOUSIE TIGERS
Overall record: 17-6
National title history: No championships
Scoring leader: Alex Carson (14.5)
The skinny: Dalhousie won final eight regular-season games en route to Atlantic title ... Tigers have won conference four of past five years ... Beat Saint Mary's in all-Halifax conference final.
No. 6 CONCORDIA STINGERS
Overall record: 13-5
National title history: One championship (1990)
Scoring leader: Adrian Armstrong (16.4)
The skinny: Stingers won Quebec title for first time since 2012 ... Conference MVP Ricardo Monge, in his final year of eligibility, finished fifth in the country in assists.
No. 7 SAINT MARY'S HUSKIES
Overall record: 20-2
National title history: Four championships (most recent in 1999)
Scoring leader: Kemar Alleyne (14.6)
The skinny: Atlantic finalists had best offence and defence in the conference this season ... Alleyne was named conference MVP. Seventh-year coach Jonah Taussig was Atlantic coach of the year.
No. 8 ALBERTA GOLDEN BEARS
Overall record: 18-8
National title history: Three championships (most recent in 2002)
Scoring leader: Brody Clarke (19.8)
The skinny: Canada West semifinalists earned lone at-large berth at nationals ... Clarke a three-time Canada West all-star ... Looking to make it past quarterfinals at nationals for first time since 2014.
The Canadian Press
