LETHBRIDGE – The Lethbridge Pronghorn men's basketball team will get a stiff test prior to the semester break, facing the defending U SPORTS Champion Calgary Dinos in a home-and-home series beginning Thursday night in Lethbridge.
 
Tip-off for Thursday is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. at the 1^st Choice Savings Centre, with the back half of the home-and-home series slated for Saturday night in Calgary at the Jack Simpson Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m. Both games will be streamed live on www.canadawest.tv.
 
During Thursday night's game, the University of Lethbridge Students' Union is running a food drive to support its food bank and Pronghorn Athletics would like to invite all southern Alberta Students and anyone age 17 or younger to bring a food donation and receive free admission to the game.
 
A look at the teams:
 
After starting the season with four straight wins, the Pronghorns (4-4) have dropped their last four games, including two at home last weekend to the Winnipeg Wesmen.
 
The Pronghorns were the last team to beat the Dinos last season en route to their national title, 91-89 in overtime in Lethbridge last January.
 
Despite the losing streak, the Pronghorns still lead the conference in team offence, scoring 91.9 points per game and sit third in team defence allowing 77 points against. The Pronghorns also lead the conference in steals per game (11.6), free throws made per game (18.6) and free throw attempts per game (26.1)
 
Undefeated in Canada West play thus far this season, the Dinos (10-0) are riding a 13-game conference winning streak dating back to their last visit to Lethbridge.
 
The defending champions come to town with the top ranked defence in Canada West allowing 67.6 points against per game this season and are no slouches at the offensive end, sitting fourth with 89.2 points per game.
 
Other categories the Dinos lead Canada West in: field goal percentage (47.8%), three point percentage (37.8%), assists per game (17.7), opponents' field goal percentage (35.7%) and opponents' three point percentage (26.8%).
 
Players to watch:
 
The Pronghorns starting five account for the vast majority of the teams scoring with Mike Pierzchala leading the way at 18.8 points per game.
 
Senior forward Zac Overwater sits second with 15.9 points per game and leads the Pronghorns in rebound with 7.3 per game, while California junior college transfer Eric Pierce is averaging 12.4 points in his first season with the Pronghorns.
 
Also led by starters, the Dinos have four starters averaging double digits in points, but Mambi Diawara leads the Dinos and sits third in Canada West scoring with 19.7 points per game.
 
Brett Layton sits second on the Dinos with 15.7 points per game, while 2018 U SPORTS Championship MVP David Kapinga sits third with 12.7 points.
 
Up Next:
 
The Pronghorns will host a pair non-conference games during the semester break, hosting Carroll College on December 16^th and University of Providence (Montana) December 29^th. The Pronghorns return to conference action the first weekend in January, traveling to Saskatoon to face the Saskatchewan Huskies.