With just six games left in the Canada West basketball regular season, every win is critical, especially for the Manitoba Bisons. The women are fighting for the 12th and final playoff spot, and the team just above them, Victoria (eighth in RPI adjusted rankings, 11th in overall winning percentage), enter play with an identical amount of wins (three). There's plenty on the line for both sides, and that's the same on the men's side, where the No. 6 nationally ranked Herd (10-4) welcome the No. 2 nationally ranked Vikes (8-2) to IGAC, with both sides aiming for a first round bye in the 12-team Canada West Playoff Tournament, hosted by Manitoba from February 21-25. 

This is the first time the two schools are facing off since February of 2020. The women play at 6 and 5 pm, while the men play at 8 and 7 pm, respectively. Click here for tickets. 

WOMEN
On the women's side, the Bisons face one of the conference's longest teams in the Vikes, whose roster includes 6'4" third-year forward Abigail Becker, as well as 6'1" guard Tana Pankratz. The Vikes have a young roster, with over their half team in either their first or second season of eligibility. They've also struggled with injuries, but swept 8-4 Trinity Western last weekend, and have won three games in a row. 

The Vike's long lineup blocked 11 shots over two wins against TWU, led by five from Becker in Friday's victory, and they also forced 27 steals. As a team, UVic is second in blocks per game, with 4.3. The Bisons will look to use their pressure defence (87 steals) and speed in transition to capitalize against an opponent that's had success over their last three games closing space with their zone defence. 

Manitoba's ability to get to the line could also be critical. The Herd are third in CanWest in free throw percentage, led by seniors Lauren Bartlett and Emily Johnson, who've gotten to the line a combined 82 times. Johnson's averaging a career-high 11.2 points per game, while her 8.8 rebounds per game are also a personal best, and rank eighth in the conference.

Bartlett -- the program leader in minutes played per game and assists per game -- is fourth in CanWest with 50 assists, and also ranks tenth with 28 steals. 

The x-factors for the Bisons could be the likes of 6'1" forwards Emerson Martin and Anna Miko, as well as 5'11" third-year Emily Mandamin, who, along with Mar Tomas Arbos (15 steals), Brynn Endicott and many others will look to keep the Vikes off the glass, and out of their shooter's faces. 

Martin -- a two-way force -- set a career high with her 19th three pointer last weekend against UBC, and she's seventh in the conference, shooting 38.8 percent from distance, while adding 49 rebounds. Miko's played in every game as a rookie, and has 31 rebounds, while scoring in double figures three times, while Mandamin is solid in the post, and can also get it done from distance, shooting the second-best three point percentage in CanWest, at 44.4 percent. 


MEN
The No. 6 ranked Bisons are looking for their first win against the Vikes on home court since 2013. As a team, they're fourth in the conference, with 8.8 steals per game and they'll look to use their frustrating, high tempo man defence to force the Vikes into turnovers. Point guard Mason Kraus is just 24 steals shy of the all-time program record of 152, set by Eric Garcia in 2011, and he leads the nation with 33 on the year. Fellow guard Bolatito "Tito" Obasoto isn't far behind, with 21. That total is just outside the top ten in the conference and four shy of tying his personal best. 

The Vikes lead Canada West in offensive rebounds per game, with 17.7 and are also first in total rebounds, with 48.1. Forwards Sergio Pereira and Shadynn Smid have led the way on the offensive glass, with 32 and 31 boards respectively, while versatile guard Elias Ralph is second on the team with 69 total rebounds.

Manitoba -- in the middle of the pack with 40.5 rebounds per game -- will counter with the likes of Cieran O'Hara, Jonam Kazadi, Daren Watts, Kraus, Wyatt Tait and Simon Hildebrandt. None of these players are shorter than 6'3", and their overall athleticism will be important. 

Tait -- known as "the glue guy" due to his ability to line the box score in basically every stat -- leads the team with 95 boards, just two shy of his career best. He's also eighth all-time for Manitoba, with 42 blocks. Hildebrandt -- who leads the team with 210 points -- has 75 boards, while Kraus, Kazadi and O'Hara all have at least 50. 

It's important to note the Vikes are likely to be without the nation's best scorer in Diego Maffia, who suffered a lower body injury last Friday against Trinity Western. He did not play the following night, and the Vike lost that game in overtime. Ralph (143 points) and Renoldo Robinson (127 points) are two who will pick up the slack, while Manitoba's Watts could be the x-factor. 

The 6'4" third-year Miles Mac product has started every game at shooting guard, scoring a career-high 200 points. His minutes have increased by a team-leading 17, and he's one of the most dangerous three point shooters in the nation, hitting at 47.1 percent, sixth overall. 

In general, these two times love to shoot the triple. The Bisons shoot 27.5 threes per game, fourth overall, and they're hitting at 33.3 percent, which is fifth in CanWest. The Vikes love to play with four guys on the perimeter, and lead the conference in three-point attempts per game (36.3) and makes per game (11.5).