Lethbridge – Looking to close out the first half on a positive note after suffering their first conference losses, the Lethbridge Pronghorn men's basketball team hosts the Fraser Valley Cascades in the final weekend before the semester break.
 
Tip-off is slated to go at 8:00pm Friday and 7:00pm Saturday at the 1^st Choice Savings Centre. Both games will also be streamed live on www.canadawest.tv.
 
"Last weekend was disappointing but a learning lesson for us; you can't just show up and expect to win," said Pronghorn head coach Mike Hansen. "Our preparation and focus has been lacking but our guys are resilient."
 
"I know they'll have a good week of practice and come back strong this weekend."
 
At half time of Saturday night's game, Pronghorn Athletics will announce the final 10 members of the greatest 50 Pronghorns of 50 years.
 
The Pronghorns haven't faced the Cascades in conference action since the 2013-14 season but beat the Cascades last year in non-conference action, 91-79 in Vancouver. The Pronghorns and Cascades faced each other in the opening round of the Canada West playoffs in 2014 with the Cascades winning two straight. No one on the Pronghorn roster was a member of the 2013-14 team.
 
A look at the teams
 
After opening the season with eight straight wins, the Lethbridge Pronghorns (8-2) suffered their first losses in conference action last weekend, being swept by the Regina Cougars on the e road last weekend.
 
Following two straight games under 80 points in each game last weekend, the Pronghorns are now averaging 92 points per game, which is still second best in the conference. Defensively, the Pronghorns dropped one spot and are ranked 12^th in Canada West, allowing 83.1 points against.
 
Thorough 10 conference games, the Pronghorns lead Canada West in free throw attempts, getting to the line 256 times so far. The team also holds the second best free throw percentage at 75%
 
Fraser Valley (4-6) enters the weekend riding a three game winning streak, which includes a swept of the UBCO Heat last weekend in Abbotsford. Prior to the win streak, Fraser Valley had lost four games in a row.
 
The Cascades are ranked near the bottom of the conference in both team offence and defence, ranked 14^th (71.7 ppg) and 13^th (83.3 ppg) respectively. The Cascades are also ranked last in turnovers, turning the ball over 19 times per game.
 
Players to watch:
 
Fifth-year guard Dejon Burdeaux continues to put together an impressive season thus far. Burdeaux sits fourth in Canada West scoring with 22.4 points per game. He also leads the Pronghorns in rebounding with 7.5 boards per game to go along with 2.9 assists. Burdeaux leads Canada West in steals with 32 in 10 games.
 
Forwards Zac Overwater and Saren Westrop sit second and third on the Pronghorns in scoring with 14.3 and 14 points per game.
 
The trio of Mark Johnson, Daniel Adediran and Andrew Morris lead the Cascades' attack. Johnson leads the team with 12.7 ppg, while both Adediran and Morris are chipping in with 11.1 ppg. Adediran is the Cascades top rebounder, with 7.9 rebounds per game.
 
Next Up: 
 
Canada West heads into the semester break after this weekend. The second semester of conference action for the Pronghorns will start the first weekend of January with the Pronghorns traveling to Winnipeg to face the Manitoba Bisons. The next home weekend for the Pronghorns will be January 12^th and 13^thwhen they host the UBC
 
 
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