LONDON, Ont. — After a rocky start to the second half of the season, the Western men’s basketball team looked to turn things around against Lakehead University. With a double-header scheduled against the Thunderwolves, the Mustangs hoped it would be an opportunity to get a couple wins and end their slump.

Lately, the Mustangs have experienced a number of heartbreaking loses preventing them from turning their season around. Despite a hard fought game between the two similarly structured teams, the Lakehead Thunderwolves defeated Western 62-55, earning the first win of the weekend.

During the first-quarter, both teams displayed offensive hustle and fast-paced play. Lakehead’s Greg Carter had a solid start, opening the game with a deep three-pointer off of the assist from Ryan Thomson. But Peter Scholtes responded, scoring the first nine points for the Mustangs. However, Lakehead passed the ball well, and moved quickly up and down the court making it difficult for Western to establish a set defense. At the end of the opening quarter, the score was 16-11 in favour of the Thunderwolves.

In the second-quarter, strong defense from both teams led to a scoreless opening minute. Scholtes continued to thrive on the offensive end and provided the Mustangs with the edge they needed to finally pull ahead. Coming off the bench, Elliot Dooley showed hustle, while sharp offense from Greg Morrow was too much for the Lakehead defense to handle. Thanks to their strong offensive showing, the Mustangs led 31-24 after the first half.

With the lead, Western entered the second half looking energized. Quinn Henderson and Charlie Drouin raised their offensive play and the entire team maintained solid defensive pressure, causing the Thunderwolves to miss open opportunities. However, with the Western squad tiring, Lakehead began running the court. But, as the margin began to decrease, a clutch three-pointer from George Johnson off of the assist from Drouin revitalized the Mustangs. The third-quarter ended with the score tied 46-46.

At the beginning of the fourth-quarter, both teams struggled to find their offensive rhythm. Fortunately, Scholtes began hitting key shots, injecting hope into his team. However, despite his best efforts, the success of Scholtes was not enough to compete with the Thunderwolves offense in the final minutes of the game and the Mustangs lost another close one.

It’s an understatement to say this season has been tough for the Mustangs. With a current record of 1-11, the Mustangs will need to regroup and prepare for their second game against the Lakehead Thunderwolves tomorrow. Tip off is at 8:00 p.m. at Alumni Hall.