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The top-ranked University of Regina's women's basketball team opens up the Canada West schedule at home this weekend with games against No. 10 Victoria on Friday and Saturday night at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport.

The Cougars have enjoyed a brilliant start to the 2016-17 season, winning all 12 non-conference games they've played and earning their first No. 1 ranking since they were the top-ranked team in every poll of the 2011-12 season.
 
The team even won three games while playing shorthanded. While Sara Hubenig, Michaela Kleisinger, Charlotte Kot, and Katie Polischuk were off in China winning a silver medal at the 3x3 FISU World League final, the rest of the Cougars were at a non-conference tournament in Alberta where they recorded wins over Lakehead, Toronto, and the host Pandas.
 
The Cougars also defeated three ranked teams – Ryerson, Saskatchewan, and Carleton – to win their own Cougar Classic tournament in early October. They've also compiled two non-conference wins over Lethbridge and one over each of Brandon, Manitoba, Fraser Valley, and UBC.
 
The Cougars feature an intriguing mix of youth and experience. Fifth-year veterans Charlotte Kot and Katie Polischuk are joined by Dalhousie transfer Ainsley MacIntyre, also in her final season of CIS eligibility. Three rookies will see floor time this weekend, including twin sisters Kyanna Giles and Kyia Giles from Winnipeg's Sisler High School and local post Angela Bongomin from Luther College High School.
 
And in between, the Cougars have a pair of fourth-year players (Hubenig and Caitlin Zacharis), two third-year players (Britton Belyk and Christina McCusker), and three second-year players (Kleisinger, Avery Pearce, and Alexi Rowden).
 
Victoria played a challenging non-conference schedule with three of their eight opponents ranked in the first U Sports Top 10 of the season. They went 5-3 in those eight games with wins over UNBC, Windsor, Western, Cape Breton, and Alberta.
 
The Vikes are led by fifth-year forward Jenna Bugiardini, who was a Canada West second-team all-star last season. Bugiardini led Victoria in both scoring and rebounding in 2015-16, averaging 16.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.

After this weekend, the Cougars have four consecutive road games. They'll play at MacEwan next Friday and Saturday, and after a weekend off will head to the West Coast for games at Trinity Western on Nov. 25 and Nov. 26. The U of R's next home games will come on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3 against Saskatchewan.