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2023 U Sports Men's Basketball Championship

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2023 U Sports Men's Basketball Championship
Season2022-23
Teams8
Finals siteScotiabank Centre
Halifax, Nova Scotia
ChampionsCarleton Ravens (17th title)
Runner-upSt. Francis Xavier X-Men
Winning coachTaffe Charles (3rd title)
Tournament MVPAiden Warnholtz (Carleton)
Attendance40,092
TelevisionCBC[1]

The 2023 U Sports Men's Final 8 Basketball Tournament was the 60th edition of the U Sports men's basketball championship, a postseason tournament to determine the national champion of the 2022 U Sports men's basketball season. The tournament started on March 10 and ended with the bronze-medal and championship games being played on November 12 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.[2][3]

The defending champion Carleton Ravens entered the tournament ranked third, following a loss in the Ontario provincial championship game to the Ottawa Gee-Gees. However, the Ravens overcame three teams in this tournament, including Ottawa in the semi-finals, and the St. Francis Xavier X-Men in the first ever double-overtime final, to claim their 17th national title.[4]

The game set a record for the highest number of points scored by a single team in the championship game (men or women)—109—and the highest number of combined points in the title game (men or women)—213.[4]

Both the Carleton men’s and women’s teams won the national titles in basketball this season, something no school had accomplished since 1985, when the Victoria Vikes were double champions. It was Carleton's fourth straight crown, 11th of the last 12, and 17th of the last 20. They remain the winningest top division school in Canada or the United States.

Venue

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The tournament was held at the Scotiabank Centre for the fourth time in seven years, and was the 33rd time the tournament was played in Halifax.[5]

The tournament was hosted by St. Francis Xavier University, the second time the school hosted the championship, after previously doing so in 1968.[6] St. Francis Xavier was originally awarded the hosting rights for the 2021 championship, but that tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.[7][8]

Participating teams

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Seed Team Qualified Record Last Total
1 Victoria Vikes Canada West Champion 17–3 1997 8
2 Ottawa Gee-Gees OUA Champion 17–5 None 0
3 Carleton Ravens OUA Finalist 18–4 2022 16
4 St. Francis Xavier X-Men AUS Champion (Host) 17–3 2001 3
5 Queen's Gaels OUA Semifinalist (At-large berth) 17–5 None 0
6 UQAM Citadins RSEQ Champion 10–6 None 0
7 Winnipeg Wesmen Canada West Finalist 15–5 None 0
8 UPEI Panthers AUS Finalist 15–5 None 0

[9][10]

[3]

Championship bracket

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First Round: March 10 Semi-Finals: March 11 Gold Medal Game: March 12
         
1 Victoria Vikes 93
8 UPEI Panthers 92
1 Victoria Vikes 64
4 St. Francis Xavier X-Men 77
4 St. Francis Xavier X-Men 107
5 Queen's Gaels 98
4 St. Francis Xavier X-Men 104
3 Carleton Ravens 109 (2OT)
2 Ottawa Gee-Gees 91
7 Winnipeg Wesmen 70
2 Ottawa Gee-Gees 75 Bronze Medal Game: March 12
3 Carleton Ravens 81
3 Carleton Ravens 73 1 Victoria Vikes 58
6 UQAM Citadins 71 2 Ottawa Gee-Gees 78

Consolation bracket

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Semi-Finals: March 11 Fifth Place Game: March 12
      
5 Queen's Gaels 93
8 UPEI Panthers 68
5 Queen’s Gaels 85
6 UQAM Citadins 89
6 UQAM Citadins 90 (2OT)
7 Winnipeg Wesmen 85

References

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  1. ^ "CBC Sports to broadcast U Sports national championships for next 4 years". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. September 20, 2021.
  2. ^ "U Sports Calendar". usports.ca. U Sports. May 17, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Atlantic University Sport releases 2022-23 winter sports schedules". Atlantic University Sport. May 19, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Ravens work overtime, soar to record 17th W.P. McGee Trophy with epic win over X-Men". usports.ca. U Sports. March 12, 2023.
  5. ^ "CIS men's basketball: ArcelorMittal Dofasco Final 8 to return to Halifax in 2017 and 2018". U Sports. November 2, 2015.
  6. ^ "Men's Final 8 History". usports.ca. U Sports. 29 May 2017. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  7. ^ "U Sports announces hosts for 2019-2021 Men's and Women's Basketball and 2019-2020 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey National Championships". U Sports. February 1, 2018.
  8. ^ "U Sports unable to offer national championships in winter 2021". usports.ca. U Sports. October 15, 2020.
  9. ^ "Playing Regulations: Men's Basketball" (PDF). U Sports. September 2022.
  10. ^ "Victoria named top seed for the first time since 2006, Queen's takes final spot". U Sports. March 5, 2023.
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