Gaiters down Axemen to reach first national semifinal since 1998
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
27 | 31 | 23 | 17 | 98 |
|
|
20 | 23 | 29 | 13 | 85 |
Team Stats
| Game Statistics | #5 Bishop's | #4 Acadia |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (32-87) | (32-74) |
| Field Goal % | 36.8% | 43.2% |
| Rebounds | 57 | 42 |
| Assists | 15 | 15 |
| Turnovers | 9 | 15 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 26 | 12 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 32 | 4 |
| Pts in the Paint | 40 | 30 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 7 | 2 |
| Bench Pts | 25 | 18 |
The Bishop's Gaiters are headed to their first men’s basketball national semifinal in nearly three decades after defeating the Acadia Axemen 98–85 in the fourth quarterfinal of the 2026 U SPORTS Men's Final 8, presented by Student Housing Calgary, Friday night at Jack Simpson Gym.
With the win, Bishop’s (24-4, 13-3 RSEQ) advances to the national semifinal for the first time since 1998 — the same year the program captured its only national championship. Acadia (18-14, 12-8 AUS), the Atlantic University Sport champions, move to the consolation bracket.
The Gaiters seized control early, using an aggressive attack inside and frequent trips to the free-throw line to build momentum. Bishop’s led 27–20 after the opening quarter and extended the advantage to 58–43 at halftime after a 31-point second frame.
Player of the game Charles Robert powered the Bishop’s offence with a dominant performance, finishing with 30 points on 11-of-16 shooting while adding nine rebounds. The Gaiters also received a strong effort from Etienne Gagnon, who recorded 16 points and a game-high 14 rebounds to help Bishop’s control the glass.
Acadia battled back in the third quarter behind player of the game Robbie Grant, who poured in 24 points while adding six rebounds and four assists. The Axemen outscored Bishop’s 29–23 in the frame to cut into the deficit heading into the final period.
However, the Gaiters responded in the fourth quarter, tightening their defence and limiting Acadia to just 13 points in the final 10 minutes to secure the victory.
Ryan Regault also scored 24 points for the Axemen, including four three-pointers, while Kyle Munro added 15. Bishop’s finished the game with a 57–42 rebounding advantage and forced 15 Acadia turnovers.
With the victory, the Gaiters move on to Saturday’s national semifinal against top seed Victoria, while the Axemen will continue play in the consolation round against the host Calgary Dinos.
NIKE TEAM PLAYERS OF THE GAME:
- Acadia: Robbie Grant
- Bishop’s: Charles Robert