NATIONAL TOP TEN UPDATE: Basketball teams join ranked squads

The OUA basketball season begins this week and the Gee-Gees are highly ranked in both the men's and women's charts. The women's soccer team also holds onto their no. 1 ranking this week as the Gee-Gees prepare to host the OUA conference Final Four at Gee-Gees Field. 

The women's basketball team which claimed bronze at the national championships last season opens the 2019-20 regular season ranked no. 2 in the nation. The conference preseason favourites have had an excellent preseason with wins over NCAA Division One programs such as Illinois State, Clemson, and George Mason, as well as an undefeated exhibition schedule against U SPORTS teams, posting a 7-0 record against Canadian opponents. Ottawa opens the regular season at home on Friday against Laurier, with a follow-up on Saturday against Waterloo. Both games tip off at 6 p.m.

The men's basketball team claims no. 3 in the preseason rankings thanks to their strong preseason play. The Gee-Gees went 8-1 against U SPORTS opponents, including wins at both the Mickey Place Tournament and the Tindall Invitational as part of a seven game winning streak. Only a home loss to Bishop's last weekend interrupted the Gee-Gees, who rebounded with a 93-62 statement win against McGill, with fifth-year guard Calvin Epistola pouring in 24 points. The Gee-Gees host Laurier and Waterloo this weekend to open the regular season. Games are Friday and Saturday, with tip-off at 8 p.m.

The women's soccer team advanced to the OUA Final Four with a 5-0 win in the quarterfinal against Ryerson on Sunday. That game was out of reach early as the Garnet and Grey scored three times in the opening 33 minutes. As the highest remaining seed in the East Division, Ottawa hosts the Final Four for the first time since 2015. The Gee-Gees are looking to repeat as conference champions, and take on York in a semifinal on Friday morning at 11 a.m. The winner of that game also qualifies for the U SPORTS National Championship, to be held next week at the University of Victoria.

The soccer Final Four will be held at Gee-Gees Field as the women's rugby team hosts the U SPORTS National Championship at Matt Anthony Field. Ottawa is seeded third after capturing the RSEQ conference banner for the sixth straight season, and take on Calgary in quarterfinal play on Wednesday at 5 p.m.