SASKATOON, Sask. - After being awarded the at-large berth into the 2026 U SPORTS Women's Basketball Final 8, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies are set to travel to Québec City to officially resume their national title defence. Entering the tournament as the No. 5-seed, the Huskies will make their championship debut Thursday evening in a quarterfinal clash against the No. 4-seeded UBC Thunderbirds.
2026 U SPORTS Women's Basketball Final 8
Thursday, March 5 - Sunday, March 8, 2026
Amphithéâtre Desjardins-Université Laval, Québec City, Que.
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The Huskies enter the national championship tournament well rested with their last action coming on February 14 in the Canada West semifinals. Despite suffering a 61-58 loss at the hands of the Calgary Dinos, Saskatchewan spent the 2025-26 season building one of the—if the strongest—resumes in the nation.
Prior to the semifinal loss, the Huskies had amassed an overall record of 26-0 which included a perfect 20-0 regular season in Canada West play and featured eight wins against U SPORTS Top-10 ranked opponents. After opening the campaign ranked first in the nation, Saskatchewan never surrendered that title and matched their longest streak at No. 1 in U SPORTS.
In the quarterfinals, the Huskies will clash with a familiar foe in the UBC Thunderbirds, marking their third inter-conference matchup at nationals in their last four games. In the 2025 Final 8 the Dogs and T-Birds met in the semifinals with Saskatchewan pulling off an 83-66 win on the way to securing their third U SPORTS title. The two teams also met twice earlier this season in Saskatoon, with the Huskies taking both games by way of 80-51 and 93-70 wins.
A win on thursday would see the Huskies advance to take on the winner of the final quarterfinal between the top-seeded TMU Bold and host Laval Rouge et Or.
U SPORTS Final 8 Seeding
1. TMU Bold
2. UNB Reds
3. Calgary Dinos
4. UBC Thunderbirds
5. Saskatchewan Huskies
6. McGill Martlets
7. Carleton Ravens
8. Laval Rouge et Or
U SPORTS Final 8 Schedule
*all times listed in CST
Thursday, March 5, 2026 - Quarterfinals
11:30am - UNB Reds vs Carleton Ravens
1:30pm - Calgary Dinos vs McGill Martlets
5:00pm - UBC Thunderbirds vs Saskatchewan Huskies
7:00pm - TMU Bold vs Laval Rouge et Or
Friday, March 6, 2026 - Consolation Semifinals
4:00pm - Consolation SF #1
6:00pm - Consolation SF #2
Saturday, March 7, 2027 - Semifinals
12:00pm - Semifinal #1
2:00pm - Semifinal #2
4:00pm - Consolation Final (5th-place game)
Sunday, March 8, 2026 - Finals
12:00pm - Bronze Medal Game
4:00pm - Gold Medal Game
QUICK NOTES
LOOKING TO BECOME No. 10: This week Saskatchewan will look to become the 10th team in U SPORTS Women's Basketball history to win consecutive national titles after claiming the program's third in 2024-25. They would join the likes of the Carleton Ravens (2023 & 2024), Windsor Lancers (2011-15), SFU Red Leafs (2009 & 2010), Manitoba Bisons (1996 & 1997), Winnipeg Wesmen (1992-95), Laurentian Lady Vees (1990 & 1991, 1975-79), Bishop's Gaiters (1983 & 1984), Victoria Vikettes (1980-82), and UBC Thunderettes (1972-74).
...AND No. 6: The Huskies will also look to become just the 6th team to win back-to-back national titles in the history of USask Athletics. The Huskie Women's Track & Field team has done so on three occasions (2004-05, 2003-04, 2002-03, 1985-86, 1984-85), Men's Track & Field once (1970-71, 1969-70), and Women's Volleyball twice (1980-81, 1979-80, 1978-79).
PERFECT IN 2025-26: The Saskatchewan Huskies recorded their second-ever undefeated season this year with a record of 20-0. The last time the Dogs went undefeated was their inaugural Canada West season in 1971-72 with a record of 6-0. The team's perfect season marked the 17th such season in Canada West history and 65th in Canadian University women's basketball. The Huskies will now look to become the 11th undefeated conference champion in program history and first since Simon Fraser in 2004-05.
HUSKIES & THE U SPORTS FINAL 8: With an all-time playoff record of 27-24 at nationals, the Huskies have advanced to the are set to make their 17th appearance at the Final 8 and their 16th in the past 18 seasons.
UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY: This marks just the second time in their 17 appearances that the Huskies have entered the U SPORTS Final 8 as the wildcard (at-large berth). The only other came in 2012 and saw the Huskies enter as the No. 6-seed before finishing 6th overall.
HUSKIES AND UBC IN THE POSTSEASON: The Huskies and Thunderbirds have met 16 times in the postseason, with just two coming at the U SPORTS Final 8. Saskatchewan owns the all-time postseason record at 9-8 but the two teams have each one once on the national stage. Last season Saskatchewan defeated UBC at home 85-63 in the U SPORTS Semifinals on their way to winning the national championship, while the T-Birds took the first-ever FInal 8 meeting 69-68 in the 2015 Bronze Medal Game.
LEADING THE PACK: The Huskies streak as the top-ranked team in the nation spanned 12 weeks in 2025-26, or the entirety on the regular season. That streak ties the program's record for the longest time spent at No. 1 which was previously set from Oct. 29, 2019, to Feb. 4, 2020.
THOMAIDIS CONTINUES TO CHASE RECORDS: After becoming the all-time Canada West women's basketball wins leader last season, head coach
Lisa Thomaidis continues to chase down several records. With 85 career postseason wins, she sits just 11 back of former Victoria head coach and Hall of Famer Kathy Williams Shields for the most in the history of Canadian University women's basketball.
GAGE GRASSICK LOOKS TO CONTINUE POSTSEASON GREATNESS: Three times has fifth-year guard
Gage Grassick recorded 30+ points in a championship game, one in last year's Canada West Championship (31) and twice in the U SPORTS National Championship (30 in 2024, 35 in 2025). Grassick ranks among the programs best playoff performers and sits in the top-10 of the program record books for playoff points (6th), field goals made (6th), free throws made (9th), three-point field goals made (5th), assists (4th), steals (2nd), minutes played (9th), and three-point percentage (10th).
