As the month of January winds down, the UNBC Timberwolves Women have four games remaining in their 2025-26 Canada West season. This weekend they're heading back South to face the Pacific Division leading UBC Thunderbirds (12-4) for the second and third times this season.

On January 15 the two sides met for the first time in Prince George, and the T-Birds emerged with an 84-49 victory. Fifth-year transfer Cassie Joli-Couer supplied 20 points while three other Thunderbirds reached double-digits offensively.

A major highlight for UNBC that night was Sophia Fuller who cracked double-digits herself offensively with 10 points. Fuller's 10 alongside Viktoriia Filatova's 14 accounted for nearly half of UNBC's scoring that night.

Mathematically the young TWolves cannot qualify for the playoffs this season, but their remaining four games do provide an opportunity for this young squad to further cement some good habits and positives into their game. Filatova's is still leading the way most nights with an average of 13.8 points, but rookie forward Hazel Phillips has recorded back-to-back games with double-digit offence. She's currently averaging 8.4 points-per-game and her 135 total points this season have her just outside the Top 10 in U SPORTS rookie scoring.

Mathematically this weekend is an important one for UBC as they've got the second place Trinity Western Spartans (12-5) breathing down their necks. A pair of wins for the hosts this weekend would put them in a strong position to cement a division title, which will be important for playoff seeding. No doubt in the back of their minds, the Thunderbirds are looking East to the 16-0 Saskatchewan Huskies and the 15-1 Regina Cougars and thinking about what a future playoff showdown with either of those teams could look like.

The TWolves and Thunderbirds square off twice this weekend beginning tomorrow night at War Memorial Arena.  Tip-off Friday goes at 5:30 pm followed by a 4:00 pm clash on Saturday. Both games can be seen live on Canada West TV.