The first place Sea-Hawks travel to PEI this weekend to take on the UPEI Panthers this weekend for a two game set beginning Friday night.
The Sea-Hawks come in riding a 3 game winning streak and look to extend their lead in the AUS against a Panthers team that is currently sitting in 7th.
The record for UPEI doesn't tell the whole story, as they've lost several games that could have gone either way but for some late breaks. They continue to be an offensive force, despite their record, thanks in large part to the stellar play of Tyler Scott. Scott is currently 5th overall in scoring, averaging 17.4 points per game, and will have to be a focus for the Sea-Hawks defense this weekend.
Head coach Peter Benoite stressed the importance of defense, and the pace of play:
"UPEI are much better then their record and they are a very tough team to beat at home. They are tough to stop as they can score with anybody and play with a lot of confidence in their own gym. We will need to control the pace of the game, and try not to get caught in the fast pace they try to play at. If we remain disciplined on the offensive end, and continue to focus on defensive effort, we will give ourselves a chance. It won't be easy, as I'm sure they are seeing these games as important ones going into the break, and no doubt will come out on cylinders. We will have our work cut out for us."
The Sea-Hawks will have to remain disciplined and force the Panthers into mistakes; UPEI is averaging 15 turnovers per game. Forcing them into mistakes should help disrupt the fast paced Panthers, allowing the Sea-Hawks to dictate the pace. They'll also need to keep the Panthers from creating second chance opportunities. They rank second in the AUS in offensive rebounding, a big part of their offensive prowess.
On offense, look for the Sea-Hawks to keep up their lethal 3-point shooting. They're shooting 35.5 % as a team, thanks to some great ball movement and good shot selection. That great ball movement has them 3rd in the conference with 17 assists per game.
As always, the games are available for streaming on AUStv.ca. Saturday's game is 8:00 PM, while Sunday's matchup is on at 8:00 PM.
Live statistics will be available at the start of each game. You can tune in to watch the game live on webcast at AUStv.ca!