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U Sports men's basketball championship

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U Sports men's basketball championship
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2025 U Sports Men's Basketball Championship
SportBasketball
Founded1963; 61 years ago (1963)
First season1963
Organising bodyU Sports
No. of teams8
CountryCanada
Most recent
champion(s)
Laval Rouge et Or (1st title)
Most titlesCarleton Ravens (17)
TV partner(s)CBC,[1] TVA
Official websiteusports.ca/en/sports/basketball/m

The U Sports Men's Basketball Championship, branded as the Men's Basketball Final 8, is a Canadian university basketball tournament conducted by U Sports, and determines the men's national champion. The tournament involves the champions from each of Canada's four regional sports conferences. The W. P. McGee trophy is awarded to the winners.

Twenty different schools have won the tournament. Carleton University have the most tournament wins with 17 championships. The University of Victoria has eight championships, Saint Mary’s University, Brandon University, and the University of Windsor have four championships, the University of Alberta, St. Francis Xavier University, and Acacia University have three championships, Brock University, and the University of British Columbia have two championships. Eleven programs are tied with one national championship.

History

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Assumption University has the distinction of originating the national championship trophy. In 1963, the University of Windsor Alumni Association donated the award featuring a silver basketball, and named in memory of W.P. McGee for his outstanding contribution as both teacher and coach during the 1920s and 1930s. Assumption won the first McGee trophy, the only time it took the national title under the Assumption name. The University of Windsor would win it four times in that same decade (1960s). For more than 60 years, the McGee trophy has been awarded annually to the U Sports men's basketball champion.

The tournament first consisted of only conference champions (four or five teams) and held that format from 1963 until 1971. In 1972 and 1973, only four teams qualified, regardless of conferences. In 1974, the championship expanded to include eight teams, similar to the format seen today. That was again changed in 1983 where regional championships took place with up to 16 teams participating in up to five different cities with the national championship featuring four teams in the main host city.[2]

In 1984, Dalhousie University hosted the championship in what would be the first of 24 straight years that Halifax, Nova Scotia would host. The format reverted to an eight team national championship in 1987, which would be the consistent format until 2004 when the tournament expanded to ten teams. The Final 10 format would last only three years, until it was again reverted to a Final 8 tournament in 2007.[3] In 2008, the finals moved to Scotiabank Place in Ottawa for three years. After two years back in Halifax, the next two tournaments were held in the now renamed Canadian Tire Centre (formerly Scotiabank Place). The 2015 championship was hosted by Ryerson University, while the 2016 tournament was hosted by the University of British Columbia.

The 2021 championship tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]

Format

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The championship consists of an eight-team single-elimination tournament. Four teams automatically qualify for the tournament as one of the winners of the four conferences, two qualify as the runners-up of both the OUA and Canada West conference, one qualifies as the host, and one is given an at-large berth.[5]

The tournament is played over four days. The quarterfinals are played on the Thursday, the consolation semi-finals on Friday, the consolation final and championship semi-finals on Saturday, and the bronze and gold medal games on Sunday.[6] This format has been in use since 2015.

Results

[edit]
W. P. McGee trophy, awarded to the champion team
Year Winner[7] Runner-up Score Venue
1963 Assumption College Acadia Axemen 55–50 University of Windsor
1964 Windsor Lancers UBC Thunderbirds 94–70 University of Windsor
1965 Acadia Axemen Windsor Lancers 91–87 OT Saint Mary's University
1966 Windsor Lancers (2) Calgary Dinos 95–83 University of Calgary
1967 Windsor Lancers (3) UBC Thunderbirds 87–82 University of Calgary
1968 Waterloo Lutheran Golden Hawks Saint Mary's Huskies 66–61 St. Francis Xavier University
1969 Windsor Lancers (4) Waterloo Lutheran Golden Hawks 76–63 University of Waterloo
1970 UBC Thunderbirds McMaster Marauders 96–75 McMaster University
1971 Acadia Axemen (2) Manitoba Bisons 72–48 Acadia University
1972 UBC Thunderbirds (2) Acadia Axemen 87–80 University of British Columbia
1973 Saint Mary's Huskies Lakehead Thunderwolves 79–67 University of Waterloo
1974 Guelph Gryphons Saint Mary's Huskies 74–72 University of Waterloo
1975 Waterloo Warriors Manitoba Bisons 80–79 University of Waterloo
1976 Manitoba Bisons Saint Mary's Huskies 82–69 Saint Mary's University
1977 Acadia Axemen (3) Lakehead Thunderwolves 72–63 Saint Mary's University
1978 Saint Mary's Huskies (2) Acadia Axemen 99–91 Saint Mary's University
1979 Saint Mary's Huskies (3) Victoria Vikes 90–83 University of Calgary
1980 Victoria Vikes Brandon Bobcats 73–65 University of Calgary
1981 Victoria Vikes (2) Acadia Axemen 81–70 University of Waterloo
1982 Victoria Vikes (3) Saint Mary's Huskies 74–60 University of Victoria
1983 Victoria Vikes (4) Waterloo Warriors 63–52 University of Waterloo
1984 Victoria Vikes (5) Brandon Bobcats 70–62 Dalhousie University
1985 Victoria Vikes (6) Waterloo Warriors 93–79 Dalhousie University
1986 Victoria Vikes (7) Waterloo Warriors 70–61 Dalhousie University
1987 Brandon Bobcats UBC Thunderbirds 74–66 Dalhousie University
1988 Brandon Bobcats (2) Acadia Axemen 81–68 Halifax Metro Centre
1989 Brandon Bobcats (3) Victoria Vikes 74–73 Halifax Metro Centre
1990 Concordia Stingers Guelph Gryphons 80–62 Halifax Metro Centre
1991 Western Ontario Mustangs Guelph Gryphons 78–69 Halifax Metro Centre
1992 Brock Badgers Saint Mary's Huskies 77–71 Halifax Metro Centre
1993 St. Francis Xavier X-Men McMaster Marauders 72–64 Halifax Metro Centre
1994 Alberta Golden Bears McMaster Marauders 73–66 Halifax Metro Centre
1995 Alberta Golden Bears (2) Concordia Stingers 84–66 Halifax Metro Centre
1996 Brandon Bobcats (4) Alberta Golden Bears 79–72 Halifax Metro Centre
1997 Victoria Vikes (8) McMaster Marauders 84–73 Halifax Metro Centre
1998 Bishop's Gaiters McMaster Marauders 74–71 Halifax Metro Centre
1999 Saint Mary's Huskies (4) Alberta Golden Bears 73–69 OT Halifax Metro Centre
2000 St. Francis Xavier X-Men (2) Brandon Bobcats 61–60 Halifax Metro Centre
2001 St. Francis Xavier X-Men (3) Brandon Bobcats 83–76 OT Halifax Metro Centre
2002 Alberta Golden Bears (3) Western Ontario Mustangs 76–71 Halifax Metro Centre
2003 Carleton Ravens Guelph Gryphons 57–54[8] Halifax Metro Centre
2004 Carleton Ravens (2) St. Francis Xavier X-Men 63–59[9] Halifax Metro Centre
2005 Carleton Ravens (3) Concordia Stingers 68–48[10] Halifax Metro Centre
2006 Carleton Ravens (4) Victoria Vikes 73–67[11] Halifax Metro Centre
2007 Carleton Ravens (5) Brandon Bobcats 52–49[12] Halifax Metro Centre
2008 Brock Badgers (2) Acadia Axemen 64–61[13] Scotiabank Place
2009 Carleton Ravens (6) UBC Thunderbirds 87–77[14] Scotiabank Place
2010 Saskatchewan Huskies UBC Thunderbirds 91–81[15] Scotiabank Place
2011 Carleton Ravens (7) Trinity Western Spartans 82–59[16] Halifax Metro Centre
2012 Carleton Ravens (8) Alberta Golden Bears 86–67[17] Halifax Metro Centre
2013 Carleton Ravens (9) Lakehead Thunderwolves 92–42 [18] Scotiabank Place
2014 Carleton Ravens (10) Ottawa Gee-Gees 79–67[19] Canadian Tire Centre
2015 Carleton Ravens (11) Ottawa Gee-Gees 93–46[20] Ryerson University
2016 Carleton Ravens (12) Calgary Dinos 101–79[21] University of British Columbia
2017 Carleton Ravens (13) Ryerson Rams 78–69 Scotiabank Centre
2018 Calgary Dinos Ryerson Rams 79–77 Scotiabank Centre
2019 Carleton Ravens (14) Calgary Dinos 84–49 Scotiabank Centre
2020 Carleton Ravens (15) Dalhousie Tigers 74–65 TD Place Arena
2021 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[4] Scotiabank Centre
2022 Carleton Ravens (16) Saskatchewan Huskies 85–72 Saville Community Sports Centre
2023 Carleton Ravens (17) St. Francis Xavier X-Men 109–104 2OT Scotiabank Centre
2024 Laval Rouge et Or Queen's Golden Gaels 77-71 Amphithéâtre Desjardins
2025 Thunderbird Sports Centre
UBC War Memorial Gymnasium
2026 Jack Simpson Gymnasium
2027 Scotiabank Centre

Championship tally

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Team Wins Last Won
Carleton Ravens 17 2023
Victoria Vikes 8 1997
Saint Mary's Huskies 4 1999
Brandon Bobcats 4 1996
Windsor Lancers 4 1969
Alberta Golden Bears 3 2002
St. Francis Xavier X-Men 3 2001
Acadia Axemen 3 1977
Brock Badgers 2 2008
UBC Thunderbirds 2 1972
Laval Rouge et Or 1 2024
Calgary Dinos 1 2018
Saskatchewan Huskies 1 2010
Bishop's Gaiters 1 1998
Western Ontario Mustangs 1 1991
Concordia Stingers 1 1990
Manitoba Bisons 1 1976
Waterloo Warriors 1 1975
Guelph Gryphons 1 1974
Waterloo Lutheran Golden Hawks 1 1968
Assumption College 1 1963

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "CBC Sports to broadcast U Sports national championships for next 4 years". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. September 20, 2021.
  2. ^ CIS Hoops Men's Basketball Championship Game Results
  3. ^ History of Men's Basketball Championship
  4. ^ a b "U Sports unable to offer national championships in winter 2021". usports.ca. U Sports. October 15, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  5. ^ Playing Regulations - Men's Basketball
  6. ^ Format changes, Super Championship Weekend officially announced
  7. ^ CIS Men's Basketball Past Champions
  8. ^ "Ravens soar to CIS championship victory | theVARSITY.ca". thevarsity.ca. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011.
  9. ^ Ravens repeat as national champions, win 63-59 over StFX
  10. ^ "Canadian Interuniversity Sport". Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
  11. ^ "Canadian Interuniversity Sport". Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
  12. ^ Carleton U Ravens Win Their Fifth Straight CIS “Final 8″ Men’s Basketball National Championship
  13. ^ 2008 Final Score
  14. ^ 2009 Final Score
  15. ^ 2010 Final Score
  16. ^ 2011 Final Score
  17. ^ 2012 Final Score
  18. ^ 2013 Final Score
  19. ^ "2014 CIS Men's Basketball Final 8 Championship Schedule". USports. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  20. ^ "2015 CIS Men's Basketball Final 8 Championship Schedule". USports. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  21. ^ "2016 CIS Men's Basketball Final 8 Championship Schedule". USports. Retrieved March 12, 2023.