The U Sports Men's Basketball Championship, branded as the Men's Basketball Final 8, is a Canadian university basketball tournament conducted by U Sports, and determines the men's national champion. The tournament involves the champions from each of Canada's four regional sports conferences. The W. P. McGee trophy is awarded to the winners.
Twenty different schools have won the tournament. Carleton University have the most tournament wins with 18 championships. The University of Victoria has nine championships, Saint Mary's University, Brandon University, and the University of Windsor have four championships, the University of Alberta, St. Francis Xavier University, and Acadia University have three championships, Brock University, and the University of British Columbia have two championships. Eleven programs are tied with one national championship.
History
Assumption University has the distinction of originating the national championship trophy. In 1963, the University of Windsor Alumni Association donated the award featuring a silver basketball, and named in memory of W.P. McGee for his outstanding contribution as both teacher and coach during the 1920s and 1930s. Assumption won the first McGee trophy, the only time it took the national title under the Assumption name. The University of Windsor would win it four times in that same decade (1960s). For more than 60 years, the McGee trophy has been awarded annually to the U Sports men's basketball champion.
The tournament first consisted of only conference champions (four or five teams) and held that format from 1963 until 1971. In 1972 and 1973, only four teams qualified, regardless of conferences. In 1974, the championship expanded to include eight teams, similar to the format seen today. That was again changed in 1983 where regional championships took place with up to 16 teams participating in up to five different cities with the national championship featuring four teams in the main host city.
In 1984, Dalhousie University hosted the championship in what would be the first of 24 straight years that Halifax, Nova Scotia would host. The format reverted to an eight team national championship in 1987, which would be the consistent format until 2004 when the tournament expanded to ten teams. The Final 10 format would last only three years, until it was again reverted to a Final 8 tournament in 2007.History of Men's Basketball Championship In 2008, the finals moved to Scotiabank Place in Ottawa for three years. After two years back in Halifax, the next two tournaments were held in the now renamed Canadian Tire Centre (formerly Scotiabank Place). The 2015 championship was hosted by Ryerson University, while the 2016 tournament was hosted by the University of British Columbia.
The 2021 championship tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Format The championship consists of an eight-team single-elimination tournament. Four teams automatically qualify for the tournament as one of the winners of the four conferences, two qualify as the runners-up of both the OUA and Canada West conference, one qualifies as the host, and one is given an at-large berth.
The tournament is played over four days. The quarterfinals are played on the Thursday, the consolation semi-finals on Friday, the consolation final and championship semi-finals on Saturday, and the bronze and gold medal games on Sunday.Format changes, Super Championship Weekend officially announced This format has been in use since 2015.
Results
Year WinnerCIS Men's Basketball Past Champions Runner-up Score Venue1963 Assumption College Acadia Axemen 55–50 University of Windsor 1964 Windsor Lancers UBC Thunderbirds 94–70 University of Windsor 1965 Acadia Axemen Windsor Lancers 91–87 (OT) Saint Mary's University 1966 Windsor Lancers (2) Calgary Dinos 95–83 University of Calgary 1967 Windsor Lancers (3) UBC Thunderbirds (2) 87–82 University of Calgary 1968 Waterloo Lutheran Golden Hawks Saint Mary's Huskies 66–61 St. Francis Xavier University 1969 Windsor Lancers (4) Waterloo Lutheran Golden Hawks 76–63 University of Waterloo 1970 UBC Thunderbirds McMaster Marauders 96–75 McMaster University 1971 Acadia Axemen (2) Manitoba Bisons 72–48 Acadia University1972 UBC Thunderbirds (2) Acadia Axemen (2) 87–80 University of British Columbia 1973 Saint Mary's Huskies Lakehead Thunderwolves 79–67 University of Waterloo 1974 Guelph Gryphons Saint Mary's Huskies (2) 74–72 University of Waterloo 1975 Waterloo Warriors Manitoba Bisons (2) 80–79 University of Waterloo 1976 Manitoba Bisons Saint Mary's Huskies (3) 82–69 Saint Mary's University 1977 Acadia Axemen (3) Lakehead Thunderwolves (2) 72–63 Saint Mary's University 1978 Saint Mary's Huskies (2) Acadia Axemen (3) 99–91 Saint Mary's University 1979 Saint Mary's Huskies (3) Victoria Vikes 90–83 University of Calgary 1980 Victoria Vikes Brandon Bobcats 73–65 University of Calgary1981 Victoria Vikes (2) Acadia Axemen (4) 81–70 University of Waterloo 1982 Victoria Vikes (3) Saint Mary's Huskies (4) 74–60 University of Victoria 1983 Victoria Vikes (4) Waterloo Warriors 63–52 University of Waterloo 1984 Victoria Vikes (5) Brandon Bobcats (2) 70–62 Dalhousie University 1985 Victoria Vikes (6) Waterloo Warriors (2) 93–79 Dalhousie University 1986 Victoria Vikes (7) Waterloo Warriors (3) 70–61 Dalhousie University 1987 Brandon Bobcats UBC Thunderbirds (3) 74–66 Dalhousie University 1988 Brandon Bobcats (2) Acadia Axemen (5) 81–68 Halifax Metro Centre1989 Brandon Bobcats (3) Victoria Vikes (2) 74–73 Halifax Metro Centre 1990 Concordia Stingers Guelph Gryphons 80–62 Halifax Metro Centre 1991 Western Ontario Mustangs Guelph Gryphons (2) 78–69 Halifax Metro Centre 1992 Brock Badgers Saint Mary's Huskies (5) 77–71 Halifax Metro Centre 1993 St. Francis Xavier X-Men McMaster Marauders (2) 72–64 Halifax Metro Centre1994 Alberta Golden Bears McMaster Marauders (3) 73–66 Halifax Metro Centre 1995 Alberta Golden Bears (2) Concordia Stingers 84–66 Halifax Metro Centre 1996 Brandon Bobcats (4) Alberta Golden Bears 79–72 Halifax Metro Centre1997 Victoria Vikes (8) McMaster Marauders (4) 84–73 Halifax Metro Centre1998 Bishop's Gaiters McMaster Marauders (5) 74–71 Halifax Metro Centre1999 Saint Mary's Huskies (4) Alberta Golden Bears (2) 73–69 (OT) Halifax Metro Centre2000 St. Francis Xavier X-Men (2) Brandon Bobcats (3) 61–60 Halifax Metro Centre 2001 St. Francis Xavier X-Men (3) Brandon Bobcats (4) 83–76 (OT) Halifax Metro Centre 2002 Alberta Golden Bears (3) Western Ontario Mustangs 76–71 Halifax Metro Centre 2003 Carleton Ravens Guelph Gryphons (3) 57–54 Halifax Metro Centre 2004 Carleton Ravens (2) St. Francis Xavier X-Men 63–59 Halifax Metro Centre 2005 Carleton Ravens (3) Concordia Stingers 68–48 Halifax Metro Centre 2006 Carleton Ravens (4) Victoria Vikes (3) 73–67 Halifax Metro Centre 2007 Carleton Ravens (5) Brandon Bobcats (5) 52–49 Halifax Metro Centre 2008 Brock Badgers (2) Acadia Axemen (6) 64–612008 Final Score Scotiabank Place2009 Carleton Ravens (6) UBC Thunderbirds (4) 87–772009 Final Score Scotiabank Place 2010 Saskatchewan Huskies UBC Thunderbirds (5) 91–812010 Final Score Scotiabank Place2011 Carleton Ravens (7) Trinity Western Spartans 82–592011 Final Score Halifax Metro Centre 2012 Carleton Ravens (8) Alberta Golden Bears (3) 86–672012 Final Score Halifax Metro Centre 2013 Carleton Ravens (9) Lakehead Thunderwolves (3) 92–42 2013 Final Score Scotiabank Place2014 Carleton Ravens (10) Ottawa Gee-Gees 79–67 Canadian Tire Centre 2015 Carleton Ravens (11) Ottawa Gee-Gees (2) 93–46 Ryerson University2016 Carleton Ravens (12) Calgary Dinos (2) 101–79 University of British Columbia2017 Carleton Ravens (13) Ryerson Rams 78–69 Scotiabank Centre 2018 Calgary Dinos Ryerson Rams (2) 79–77 Scotiabank Centre 2019 Carleton Ravens (14) Calgary Dinos (3) 84–49 Scotiabank Centre 2020 Carleton Ravens (15) Dalhousie Tigers 74–65 TD Place Arena 2021Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic Scotiabank Centre 2022 Carleton Ravens (16) Saskatchewan Huskies 85–72 Saville Community Sports Centre2023 Carleton Ravens (17) St. Francis Xavier X-Men (2) 109–104 (2OT) Scotiabank Centre2024 Laval Rouge et Or Queen's Gaels 77–71 Amphithéâtre Desjardins2025 Victoria Vikes (9) Calgary Dinos (4) 82–53 Thunderbird Sports Centre2026 Carleton Ravens (18) Bishop's Gaiters 78–75 Jack Simpson Gymnasium2027 Scotiabank Centre
Title by school Appearances Team Conference Wins Losses Win % 18 Carleton Ravens OUA 18 0 1.000 2026 2026 12 Victoria Vikes Canada West 9 3 .750 2025 2025 9 Saint Mary's Huskies AUS 4 5 .444 1999 1999 9 Brandon Bobcats Canada West 4 5 .444 1996 2007 8 Acadia Axemen AUS 3 5 .375 1977 1988 7 UBC Thunderbirds Canada West 2 5 .285 1972 2010 6 Alberta Golden Bears Canada West 3 3 .500 2002 2012 5 Windsor Lancers OUA 4 1 .800 1969 1969 5 McMaster Marauders OUA 0 5 .000 None 1998 5 St. Francis Xavier X-Men AUS 3 2 .600 2001 2023 5 Calgary Dinos Canada West 1 4 .200 2018 2025 4 Waterloo Warriors OUA 1 3 .250 1975 1986 4 Guelph Gryphons OUA 1 3 .250 1974 2003 3 Manitoba Bisons Canada West 1 2 .333 1976 1976 3 Lakehead Thunderwolves OUA 0 3 .000 None 2013 2 Waterloo Lutheran Golden Hawks OUA 1 1 .500 1968 1969 2 Western Ontario Mustangs OUA 1 1 .500 1991 2002 2 Concordia Stingers RSEQ 1 1 .500 1990 2005 2 Brock Badgers OUA 2 0 1.000 2008 2008 2 Ottawa Gee-Gees OUA 0 2 .000 None 2015 2 Ryerson Rams/TMU Bold OUA 0 2 .000 None 2018 2 Saskatchewan Huskies Canada West 1 1 .500 2010 2022 2 Bishop's Gaiters RSEQ 1 1 .500 1998 2026 1 Assumption College OUA 1 0 1.000 1963 1963 1 Laval Rouge et Or RSEQ 1 0 1.000 2024 2024 1 Trinity Western Spartans Canada West 0 1 .000 None 2011 1 Dalhousie Tigers AUS 0 1 .000 None 2020 1 Queen's Gaels OUA 0 1 .000 None 2024
See also NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament College basketball
References