The University of Toronto Varsity Blues men’s and women’s basketball teams kick off the second half of the 2009-10 season on the road this weekend to take on the Queen’s Gaels and RMC Paladins in Kingston, Ont.

The Blues take on the Gaels on Friday night with the women’s game schedule to begin at 6 p.m. and the men to follow at 8 p.m. U of T will then have a quick turnaround as the women take on the Paladins at 1 p.m. and the men at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

After going 5-3 in the first half of the season, the No. 8 Varsity Blues men’s basketball team returns in 2010 ready and raring to go. The Blues currently sit in third place in the competitive OUA East division, behind the No. 2 Carleton Ravens and nemesis Ottawa Gee-Gees.

U of T is led by fifth-year guards Nick Magalas (Burlington, Ont.) and Rob Paris (St. Catharines, Ont.) who average 15.4 and 16 points per game, respectively. The Blues solid veteran core continues to deliver as London, Ont. natives Nick Snow and Patrick Sewell have also averaged double digits this season.

The Queen’s Gaels are 4-5 and sit just behind the Blues in fourth place, while the RMC Paladins are winless so far in 2009-10. The Gaels have recently added former Ryerson Ram Ozren Opacic to their roster. He tallied a career-high 27 points in just 16 minutes of play in his first game on Tuesday versus the Paladins.

The Varsity Blues women’s team currently sits in sixth place in the OUA East with a 4-6 record. Fourth-year forward Nicki Schutz is ranked second in the OUA, averaging 19.1 points per game. The Toronto, Ont. native is also ranked third with 10.6 boards per game. In addition, Erin McNeely and Joanna Medri have posted solid numbers this season, with 8.5 and 8.8 points per game, respectively.

Now in her 31st season as the Blues bench boss, Michèle Bélanger is just two victories shy of her 700th career win with the Varsity Blues.

The Queen’s Gaels are 6-4 and sit in a three-way tie for first place, while the Paladins are 0-10 this season.

For more information, scores and highlights on your favourite Toronto teams, please visit the home of the Varsity Blues at http://www.varsityblues.ca.