HAMILTON - Ontario University Athletics (OUA) unveiled its men's and women's basketball schedule for the 2014-15 season showcasing the new divisional alignment and playoff format approved last month at its Annual General Meeting.

The schedule includes the creation of a four division league and a four round playoff structure which sees 12 of 17 teams qualify for the post-season all in pursuit of berth into the OUA Final Four set for March 6-7.

Under the new divisional alignment, teams will compete under the West, Central, East, and North banners. The West Division will be a five-team grouping (Windsor Lancers along with Algoma, Waterloo, Western, Wilfrid Laurier) and include double-header weekends in Sault Ste. Marie against the Thunderbirds within an eight game home-at-home schedule within the division. The West will also play a single game against teams from the Central, East, and North, totalling 20 games.

The remaining three divisions consist of four teams will play a 19 game schedule. The Central Division (Brock, Guelph, Lakehead, McMaster) will play double-header weekends at Lakehead. The North Division (Carleton, Laurentian, Nipissing, Ottawa) will feature the league's newest team as the Nipissing Lakers join competition, while the East Division (Queen's, Ryerson, Toronto, York) will enhance some traditional OUA rivalries.
 
The new era of OUA basketball kicks off on Wednesday, November 5 as the Windsor Lancers visit the Western Mustangs in London, Ont. for a rivalry showdown on opening night.  A full slate of action will follow on November 7-8.
 
The Nipissing Lakers also join the OUA in both men's and women's basketball for the first time in 2014-15 and will play their inaugural games on Sunday, November 8th when they visit the Algoma Thunderbirds in Sault Ste Marie, Ont.
 
Additional games highlighting the men's schedule include:
 

• - On November 8, Head Coach Chris Oliver's squad will host their home opener against the Guelph Gryphons at the St. Denis Centre.
• - McMaster travels to Windsor on December 4 in a rematch of the thrilling 2014 Final Four bronze medal game.
• - Windsor and Carleton renew their rivalry on January 23 when they host the defending CIS national champion Ravens at the St. Denis Centre.

Additional games highlighting the women's schedule include:
 

• - On November 8, Head Coach Chantal Vallee's squad will raise their CIS championship banner from the 2013-14 season as they host Guelph in their home opener.
• - On January 7, the Lancers will host their rivals, the Western Mustangs in a featured showdown at the St. Denis Centre to kick off 2015.
• - On January 30, the Queen's Gaels will look to extract revenge as they head to Windsor to meet the Lancers in a rematch of the 2014 OUA Championship.  In that game, the Lancers claimed their fifth OUA title in the last six years dusting the Gaels 73-48.

The end of the first semester will be marked on November 29 when McMaster heads to Windsor to play the Lancers to close the first half of the year. The second semester will tip off with six games on January 7th (men's and women's) including Western heading down the 401 to battle the Windsor Lancers in the second part of their two-game regular season series.
 
14 games will close the regular season on February 21 with three teams from each division making the playoffs under the new format.
 
The top three teams from each OUA division will qualify for the postseason. All twelve qualifying teams, regardless of division position, will be ranked based on RPI (Rating Percentage Index) to determine the playoff bracket. The RPI rankings will be calculated and applied by the OUA based on regular season results against the other playoff teams. The top four teams based on the rankings will be awarded byes through the first round of the playoffs.
 
The OUA playoffs, presented by Investor's Group, will consist of four rounds with the preliminary round slated for Wednesday, February 25 followed by the quarter-finals on February 28. The OUA Wilson Cup Final Four, presented by Recharge with Milk, and OUA Women's Final Four, presented by ArcelorMittal Dofasco, will be hosted by the highest remaining men's and women's teams respectively, and are set for Friday, March 6th and Saturday, March 7th.

The CIS Final 8 will take place just one week later on March 12-15 with the men's final hosted by the Ryerson Rams at the Mattamy Athletic Centre and women's hosted by Universite Laval Rouge et Or at the PEPS Stadium.

Find the full schedules here:
Men
Women