Mariners Face Rustlers

VIU Mariners vs. Lakeland Rustlers – Friday March 25, 6:00pm | WATCH HERE

The VIU Mariners are the hosts of the women’s national basketball championship, and they will hit the floor for the first time tonight when they face the ACAC champion Lakeland Rustlers.

The Mariners are coming off their only loss of the season, losing in the PACWEST gold medal game to the Okanagan Coyotes at the beginning of the month. They are making their second straight appearance in the national championship tournament after finishing fourth in Quebec in 2019. Guard Amber Lease was named an All-Canadian on Wednesday. The Mariners have not won a national medal since winning gold in 1998 when they were known as the Malaspina Mariners.

On the other side the Rustlers won ACAC gold for the second straight season after finishing 16-0. They would beat the SAIT Trojans 60-41 in the Conference finale to earn the right to play at the national championship. They are playing in their first national tournament and have been led all season by the CCAA’s Player of the Year Tori Dugan. She is a fifth-year guard averaging 13.9 points a game and will no doubt go toe-to-toe with Lease.

Head-to-Head

Records: Mariners 18-0 – Rustlers 16-0
Average Points For: Mariners 79.7 – Rustlers 79.7
Field Goal %: Mariners 39.7 – Rustlers 43.6%
3pt %: Mariners 27.5% – Rustlers 30.7%