CIS Final 8 Profile – Victoria Vikes

Victoria Vikes

Overall Record: 23-8

Championships: 8 – 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1997

Appearances: 23 – 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2013, 2014

Notable Wins:

• Bishops (67-63)
• Saskatchewan (70-67)

Notable Losses:

• Carleton (80-64)
• Saskatchewan (80-55)
• Saskatchewan (82-70)
• Saskatchewan (95-70)

 

Coach: Craig Beaucamp

The success of the Vikes starts from the top down and it all begins with the strength of their head coach Craig Beaucamp, easily one of the most accomplished men in the Canada West.

Prior to this season, Beaucamp was the defending coach of the year award winner in the Canada West and not only that, he had won it three times in a row. Overall, Beaucamp has won the award in the Canada West a record five times (tied with UBC’s Kevin Hanson).

Over the years the Vikes have become one of the most stable programs in Western Canada and are coming off back-to-back trips to nationals where they finished sixth and fourth respectively. In the Canada West final four the Vikes prevailed over the UFV Cascades and the Saskatchewan Huskies in order to make their third consecutive trip to nationals. These pair of wins showcase how good of a coach Beaucamp is. The completely different styles that the Cascades and Huskies play make it even harder for a coach to game plan for both in such a big must win game. If the Vikes are going to have any success in their final eight run it starts from Beaucamp down.

Style: Slow Tempo

If you were to categorize the play style for the Vikes it would be slow. They like to take time off the clock and work the ball into the hands of Chris McLaughlin (more on him later). It has been the same style that has worked so well for them in the past and fans can expect to see a lot more of it during their national’s campaign.

The Vikes’ slow tempo and skill in getting the ball down low allow them to shoot a high percentage, one of the highest in the CIS at 46.4% – sixth in the country, but fifth among final eight teams. On average, slow tempo teams don’t shoot the highest number of threes, which in the Vikes case is partially true. 

Victoria shot 435 threes this season – nineteenth in the country and sixth among final eight teams. The Vikes are a top ten defensive team in the league giving up an average of only 70.9 points per game – but only fifth among the final eight teams. While the Vikes were one of the top teams in the Canada West this season they are near the bottom in most statistical categories when compared to the rest of the final eight teams. The Vikes will need to be a little more energetic, in my opinion, in their final eight bid in order to have a shot at upsetting some of the top Ontario teams – of which there are four in the final eight.

Standout player: Chris McLaughlin

Not much to say here apart from dominant. He had a slow final four as both the Huskies and Cascades keyed in on him forcing the rest of the Vikes to pick up the scoring load. Outside of his final four, he was a force all season long – the Canada West most outstanding player of the year will be the reason for the Vikes success come tournament time. McLaughlin is arguably the best big man in the country, who will pose match up problems for most.

Predictions

Game One: Dalhousie Tigers

I predict this to be the best game of the first round featuring the number 4 and 5 seeds doing battle on Thursday. In my opinion, this is the Vikes game to lose. The Tigers weren’t a final eight team last year, while in contrast the Vikes have appeared in back-to-back final eights and finished fourth last season.

76-66 – Vikes

Game Two: Carleton Ravens (Predicted)

So the Vikes are necessarily screwed at this point being on the same side of the bracket as the Carleton Ravens. I am not going to try and sugar-coat it for Vikes fans, while experience is what will win the first game for the Vikes there is no way that they or any team in the final eight can stack up to the Ravens in the experience department.

80-65 – Ravens

Game Three: Ryerson Rams (Predicted)

I know this is a Vikes preview but I do predict the Rams to beat the Lancers at home in their first game and then lose to the Gee-Gees. I think that this year in the same bronze medal game that they unfortunately lost last year to the University of Alberta, the Vikes prevail this year with Chris McLaughlin playing the last game of his career.

75-74 – Vikes