The University of Toronto Varsity Blues men's and women's basketball teams return to the court this Friday, January 15 as they host the Queen's Gaels at the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport.

All the action is set to begin with the women tipping off at 6 p.m., followed by the men at 8 p.m. Advance tickets are on sale here. All OUA basketball games are streamed live on OUA.tv.

For the women, a convincing 75-61 victory over long-time rival York this past Friday has shifted momentum, lifting the squad to a 3-4 record. They will need this momentum as they prepare to take on the CIS No. 10 ranked Queen's Gaels, who currently sit atop the OUA East division with an impressive 6-1 record.

After battling teams away from the comfort of Goldring Centre for four of the team's first five games, this matchup with the Gaels will be the second in a string of five straight home games for U of T. Home court advantage has proven to be a difference maker for the Blues so far as they hold a 2-1 record this season at the Goldring Centre. As well, the team overall has proven to be very skillful despite the tough first half results, as they currently rank in the OUA top 10 in both points per game and steals per game, while ranking in the top five in rebounds per game.

Third-year guard Rahshida Atkinson and forward Emily Piccini have stepped up as team leaders. Atkinson sits 10th in the OUA, averaging 15.1 points per game, while Piccini ranks second on the team with a 10.9 average. Meanwhile, fellow third-year point guard Diedre Edwards has showcased her ability to affect the game in more ways than points, turning into an OUA top 10 threat in both assists (3.6) and steals (2.3) per game. 

The Varsity Blues will be in tough though against the nationally ranked opponent, as the Gaels have utilized a stifling defence which allows a mere 56 points per game to opposing teams, along with holding teams to just 34 per cent shooting from the floor. This defensive strength combined with outstanding individual efforts from back-to-back OUA first-team all-star Jenny Wright and current OUA rebound leader Robyn Pearson (11.4) presents a serious conundrum for the Blues to solve.

Meanwhile, the Toronto's men's team now sits at 2-4 in the OUA East division following a dramatic last-minute victory over the York Lions last weekend. The men will also be taking on their counterparts from Queen's with the Gaels leading the way in the OUA East division with a 6-1 record.

Despite the difference in records, both teams sit relatively close to each other in several statistical categories, including points per game where the Gaels sit 9th (76.1) to Toronto's 10th (75.8). Add in similar rankings in field goal percentage, rebounds per game and fouls per game and all the ingredients are in place for a stellar matchup this Friday at Goldring Centre.

Toronto has continued to be led by OUA scoring leader Devin Johnson (26.8) and second-year playmaker Sage Usher. In his fourth-year with the Blues, Johnson has added an unbelievable efficiency to his scoring, shooting nearly 50 per cent from the field through six games so far this season, while Usher has showcased improvement in several categories including field goal percentage, points per game, and assists per game.

For the Gaels, the combination of fourth-year Sukhpreet Singh and second-year Tanner Graham has also proven to be a difference maker for the team. Former OUA rookie of the year (2012-13) Singh has been the driving force for Queen's leading the team in both points per game (19.9) and rebounds per game (7.1). Meanwhile, Graham has proven to be an effective "three and D" wing, leading the Gaels in both blocks (11) and three point field goals (9).

Following Friday's game, both the Varsity Blues men's and women's team will have a week to prepare for perennial powerhouses Ottawa and Carleton, who they will welcome to Goldring Centre next weekend (Jan. 22 & 23). Both days will feature a 6 p.m. start for the women's games and 8 p.m. start for the men. Advance tickets are on sale here.

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