SHERBROOKE, Que. – The prairie lights are burning, the Chinook wind is moving, and this weekend the Bishop's Gaiters will be Alberta bound. The Gaiters continue their men's basketball preseason this weekend with games against Mount Royal University on Thursday night in Calgary, and a doubleheader at Lethbridge on Friday and Saturday.
 
The Gaiters are 1-1 overall, after taking one of two games against Atlantic teams at the Eric Garland tournament in Fredericton, N.B. In exhibition play, they downed Maine Maritime Academy on Thanksgiving in Magog.
 
So far, in the two games against CIS foes, Abdul Kamane has led the Gaiters with 14 points per game, while David Belanger has had 10.
 
Thursday's opponent is a new one for the Gaiters, as they have never faced Mount Royal. The Cougars entered the CIS in 2012, and went 12-14 overall last year. This is the Cougars' first action of 2016-17. MRU has gone 10-10 in conference play in each of the last two seasons, but have yet to make the Canada West playoffs. Thursday's game starts at 7 p.m. Mountain Time (9 p.m. Eastern), and will be played at Crescent Heights High School in Calgary (1019 1 St NW).
 
On Friday and Saturday, the Gaiters head south down Highway 2 to take on the Lethbridge Pronghorns. The Gaiters have only played Lethbridge once, a 75-70 loss in 2001. The Pronghorns are 1-2 against CIS opposition this year, with a win over Fraser Valley sandwiched by two losses to UBC last weekend. Last year, Lethbridge went 17-12 vs. CIS teams (12-8 Canada West) and were swept out of the CW playoffs by UBC. Both games at Lethbridge start at 7 p.m. Mountain Time (9 p.m. Eastern)
 
After this weekend, the Gaiters will head to Ottawa next week, and their first time on home floor will be the RSEQ season opener, on Saturday, Nov. 12.