Lethbridge – For the first time since 2001, the Lethbridge Pronghorn men's basketball team will host a playoff series, hosting the Victoria Vikes in a best of three Canada West play-in series.
 
The series kicks off Friday night at the 1^st Choice Savings Centre at 7:00pm, with game two going Saturday night at 7:00pm and game three, if necessary Sunday at 3:00pm. All three games will be streamed live on www.canadawest.tv.
 
Tickets can be purchased in advance online at gohorns.ca/horns-playoff-bball or in person at the ticket office on game day. Adult tickets are $12, seniors $9, youth 6-17 are $7, U of L students are $3, and kids 5 and under are free. All Sport, HERD, and Jr. Horns pass holders get in free with their card.
Only three weeks ago, the Pronghorns and Vikes faced off in Victoria with the Pronghorns sweeping the road series with 76-58 and 94-81 wins.
 
The last time the Pronghorns hosted a playoff series was the Canada West quarter-finals 16 years ago versus the UBC Thunderbirds and the Pronghorn won that series in three games.
 
Look at the teams statistically
 
Through the regular season, the Pronghorns (13-7) finished seventh in team offence, averaging 80.6 points per game, while also holding the sixth ranked defence, allowing 78.7 points. The Pronghorns were second in Canada West in assists per game with 16 and steals with 10.8.
 
The Vikes (9-11), who swept the Winnipeg Wesman during the final weekend of the regular season to qualify for the playoffs, were ranked 13^th offensively in Canada West this season (76.5 ppg) but were the fifth ranked defensive team allowing 78.4 points against.
 
The Pronghorns were 7-3 at the 1^st Choice Savings Centre this season, while the Vikes were a solid 5-6 on the road this season.
 
Players to watch
 
Point guard Dejon Burdeaux will be a key figure is the Pronghorns are to have success this weekend and move on to the next round. This season, Burdeaux led the country in steals with 65 and free throw percentage at 89.6%. He was also third in Canada West in assists per game with 4.5, while finishing 12^th on the conference's scoring list, averaging 17.1 points per game.
 
Elliot Sentance led the Pronghorns in scoring throughout this season and averaged 17.6 points per game. 
 
For the Vikes, the offence revolves around fifth-year guard Grant Sitton, who finished third in Canada West scoring this season, averaging 19.3 points per game. He also averaged 6.8 rebounds per game.
 
Scott Kellum was the only other Vike to average double digits in points this season with 13.2 points per game.
 
Should the Pronghorns win the series, they would travel to Edmonton next weekend to face the Alberta Golden Bears. The Pronghorns and Golden Bears played last weekend with the two teams splitting the weekend series.
 
 
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