SHERBROOKE, Que. – The Bishop's Gaiters men's basketball team will put their two-game winning streak on the line this weekend as they play the UQAM Citadins in a home-and-home series. On Friday, the teams will square off at the Mitchell Gym, as the Gaiters host a #BellLetsTalk game, with tip off set for 8 p.m. The return match is set for Saturday at UQAM, starting at 7 p.m.
 
At Friday's game, fans will receive thunder sticks and temporary tattoos and have the opportunity to sign talk bubbles and banners in support of mental health. Fans are also encouraged to take pictures and share on social media on Bell Let's Talk Day to support Canadian mental health and drive Bell's funding for mental health programs.
 
The Gaiters (5-9, 2-4 RSEQ) come into the game fresh off a sweep of the Laval Rouge et Or last weekend. Behind 34 points from David Belanger (Sherbrooke, Que./Champlain-St. Lambert), a performance that earned him RSEQ Athlete of the Week honours, Bishop's downed Laval 64-58 in Quebec City on Friday and 84-69 at the Mitchell Gym on Saturday.
 
UQAM (8-11, 3-5 RSEQ), meanwhile, dropped two games to McGill last week – 90-59 and 71-49 – and have lost eight of their past nine games overall, a skid that dates back to mid-November.
 
The Citadins and Gaiters are in a virtual tie for fourth place in the conference standings, with the Citadins currently percentage points ahead of Bishop's, but with the Gaiters still holding two games in hand.
 
Both Bishop's and UQAM are three games back of McGill, who is 6-2 in league play, and a game back of Laval (4-4) and Concordia (3-3), who are in a virtual tie for second.
 
The two teams met once previously, with UQAM prevailing in a 76-72 decision on Nov. 12 at the Mitchell Gym, as Christopher Doumpa scored with 10 seconds left to break a 72-72 tie and give the visitors the win after the Gaiters had come back from a 14-points second-quarter deficit to take the lead in the fourth quarter. Jona Bermillo (Montreal, Que./Vanier College) led the Gaiters with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Nick Harvey (Saint-Bruno, Que. /Champlain-St. Lambert) finished with 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds. For UQAM, Greishe Clerjuste and Charles Miller each scored 23 points, while Doumpa ended with ten.
 
After last week's wins, the Gaiters now have the second-rated offence in the RSEQ, averaging 70.7 points per game. They have been led by Belanger, who is averaging 12.3 points per game, while Harvey and Bermillo have each scored 11.2 per contest.
 
UQAM is averaging 67.5 points per game, good for fourth in the conference, with Clerjuste averaging 15.4 ppg.
 
Both of this weekend's games will be webcast, with Friday's being aired on www.gaiters.ca/webcast and Saturday's contest available at http://tvgo.ca/uqam/.