Needing a two-game sweep this weekend to clinch the Great Plains Division regular season title, the University of Regina's men's basketball team hosts – who else? – the Brandon Bobcats on Friday and Saturday night at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport.

The Cougars currently sit in second place in the division at 11-9, while Brandon checks in at 12-8. The two teams have already battled twice this season in Brandon, with the Bobcats scoring a two-point victory on Nov. 28 and Regina recording a two-point win of its own just 24 hours later.

“I don't think either team will be leaving anything in the Tickle Trunk this weekend,” U of R head coach James Hillis said. “Brandon has been playing good basketball lately, and I expect a couple of fantastic games here.”

Expect the usual starting five of Kris Heshka, Jamal Williams, Jordan McFarlen, Jeff Lukomski, and Paul Schubach to go for the Cougars. Lukomski has already set school single-season records in three-pointers made (73) and attempted (204) this year, and is just 12 treys short of taking over the U of R's career record, which Joel Hunter currently holds at 195. Lukomski leads the Cougars with an average of 16.5 points per game, with Williams (16.0) and Heshka (15.7) close behind. Williams has recorded three consecutive double-doubles for the Cougars.

The Bobcats boast the second-leading scorer in the conference, as Dany Charlery trails only Saskatchewan's Showron Glover with an average of 21.8 points per game. Charlery, a fourth-year guard from Montreal, is also tied for second in Canada West with 53 steals this season. Also a fourth-year guard, Rejean Chabot ranks ninth in the conference with 17.8 points per game and is shooting over 50% from the field this season.

If the Cougars are able to sweep Brandon this weekend, they'll clinch first place in the division and will host the best-of-three Great Plains Division final on Feb. 19, 20, and (if necessary) 21. If Brandon wins at least one game, the Cougars will host either Winnipeg (5-15) or Manitoba (4-16) in the division semifinal series next weekend, with the winner of that series then travelling to Brandon for the final.

This weekend's games are scheduled for 8 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday night at the CKHS. Catch both games live on Cougar Radio, available for free at www.reginacougars.com.

NOTES: Max Local on Demand will rebroadcast Saturday's game beginning on Wednesday … Max Local on Demand is available on Channel 48 to SaskTel subscribers … since the Great Plains Athletic Conference merged with Canada West prior to the 2001-02 season, the Cougars and the Bobcats have met 44 times in the regular season and playoffs, with Brandon holding a 25-19 edge.