CORNE
     
    
   
   
    
     
      University
      sports
      by
      Alex
      Field
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      men's
      basketball
      team
      will
      be
     
     
      forced
      to
      do
      it
      the
      hard
      way
      if
      they
      hope
      to
     
     
      win
      the
      CIS
      basketball
      championship
      this
     
     
      upcoming
      weekend
      March
      14-16
      at
      the
     
     
      Halifax
      Metro
      Centre.
     
    

    
     
      The
      Panthers
      will
      have
      to
      face
      the
     
     
      top
      seed
      of
      the
      tournament
      with
      the
     
     
      Carleton
      University
      Ravens
      (QUA
     
     
      Champs).
      The
      Ravens
      were
      ranked
      first
      in
     
     
      the
      tourney
      after
      ending
      the
      season
      as
      the
     
     
      number
      |-ranked
      basketball
      team
      in
     
     
      Canada,
      in
      a
      season
      that
      saw
      them
      only
     
     
      lose
      one
      game.
     
    

    
     
      The
      road
      to
      a
      championship
      is
     
     
      never
      easy,
      and
      because
      the
      Panthers
     
     
      weren't
      ranked
      all
      year,
      the
      fact
      that
      they
     
     
      were
      ranked
      eight
      and
      therefore
      will
      have
     
     
      to
      play
      the
      best
      team
      comes
      as
      no
      surprise.
     
    

    
     
      I
      wouldn't,
      however,
      count
      out
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Panthers
      just
      yet.
      They
      have
      a
      couple
      of
     
     
      things
      going
      for
      them,
      the
      element
      of
      sur-
     
     
      prise
      and
      momentum.
      No
      one
      expected
     
     
      them
      to
      win
      the
      AUS
      Championship,
      but
     
     
      all
      hope
      of
      staying
      under
      the
      radar
      is
      not
     
     
      likely,
      and
      in
      a
      tournament
      where
      the
     
     
      teams
      have
      little
      experience
      playing
     
     
      against
      each
      other
      anything
      can
      and
      usual-
     
     
      ly
      does
      happen.
     
    

    
     
      The
      only
      real
      question
      is,
      will
      the
     
     
      two
      week
      layoff
      between
      tournaments
     
     
      cause
      the
      once
      roaring
      fire
      that
      was
      the
     
     
      Panthers
      to
      cool
      to
      a
      spark,
      or
      will
      UPEI
     
     
      continue
      exactly
      where
      they
      left
      off?
      I'm
     
     
      hoping
      for
      the
      latter,
      and
      I'm
      sure
      many
      of
     
     
      the
      fans
      making
      their
      way
      over
      to
      Halifax
     
     
      this
      weekend
      will
      be
      hoping
      the
      same.
     
    

    
     
      Best
      of
      luck,
      guys!
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Lindsey
      Coade:
      2nd
      Team
      All-Star
      AUS
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Tyler
      Wood:
      2nd
      Team
      All-Star
      AUS
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ‘Sherone
      Edwards:
      Rookie
      of
      the
      Year
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Jeff
      Walker:
      TSN
      Award
      Nominee
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Kenny
      Duncan:
      1st
      Team
      All-Star
      AUS
     
     
      page
      [19]
      march
      12
      2003