Burnaby, BC - The Simon Fraser University basketball teams hit the courts this weekend as they continue the hunt for Great Northwest Athletic Conference victories in the early moments of 2014.

The Clan women return to the West Gym for their first home swing of the calendar year while the men will play one single game against travel partner Western Washington.

Fans can tune into the games by following the links on the Clan's home page: athletics.sfu.ca, under "Upcoming Games".

Women vs Northwest Nazarene

After a split weekend on the road, the Clan women return to Burnaby for their first contest of 2014 on the home court.

Starting the weekend with a loss to conference leader Montana State – Billings, the women earned the split with a victory over #9 Seattle Pacific.

This weekend's first game will see SFU match up with another nationally ranked team, this time in #18 Northwest Nazarene at 7:00 pm, Thursday, January 9.

The Clan defence will need to focus on containing senior Megan Hinston and surging sophomore Taylor Simmons who lead the Crusaders in points scored with averages of 18.2 and 14.3 points per game.

On the offensive side SFU will need to rely again on a well-rounded starting line-up who provides both points and composure in the attacking end.

The Clan will be looking to improve on their 8-3 overall record which includes a 2-1 GNAC record thanks to early victories over SPU and Western Washington.

Ultimately the teams match up well on paper, so an exciting game is guaranteed, despite the outcome.

Men vs Western Washington

The Clan men hit the road for a single game this week, facing cross-border rival Western Washington University in their first meeting of the season.

The game gets underway at 7:00pm in Bellingham, WA this Saturday, January 11.

Since joining the GNAC the Clan men have yet to beat the Vikings, but this weekend's game may prove to be their best chance to date.

Coming off three losses over four games the Vikings are on a two game losing streak, which may allow the Clan a chance to sneak in and surprise the #20 GNAC powerhouse.

In order to do so the Clan will need to be consistent on the floor and focus on ball movement throughout the match.

Seniors Taylor Dunn and David Gebru will need to have big games for the Clan as will transfers Justin Cole and Sango Niang.

The Vikings greatest strength will come from their height and depth, including leading scorer Richard Woodworth who averages 17.1 points per contest.

The Clan will be searching for their first GNAC victory of 2013-14 as they are 0-4 in conference play, so the drive to win will propel them to a top performance against an excellent competitor.

Women vs Central Washington

Following a game against a nationally ranked competitor, the Clan women will close the weekend with a match against Central Washington University.

The Wildcats currently sit 0-4 in GNAC play, and will be hungry for their first conference win when the teams match up Saturday, January 11 at 7:00pm in the West Gym.

SFU will need to take the match very seriously as all competitors in this conference are a threat, and despite the visitor's lackluster record the team has great strengths when they come together.

The Clan will need to limit chances given to senior Jessica VanDyke, who averages 17.3 points per game for fifth in the conference.

SFU will look to harness the energy from the home fan base to propel them to a motivated and intesnse game as they search for another GNAC victory.