Box Score LONDON, Ont. – On the shoulders of an all-around team-effort, the Western Mustangs kept their recent winning momentum going with a dominating 83-58 win over the visiting Waterloo Warriors at Alumni Hall on Saturday afternoon.

Though the final score may read otherwise, the end result was not always so certain.

For a Warriors team that has fallen on tough times this season, stumbling to a 2-15 record coming into their tilt with Western, the visitors could not have asked for a better quarter; with both teams finding their rhythm on offense at an extremely efficient clip, Waterloo was able to just outlast the Mustangs' 60.0% shooting with 64.7% of their own, including a tremendous four-for-six from three-point territory.

With scoring-sensation Jenny Vaughan firing on all cylinders, her 13 points in the first quarter alone would be enough to keep the Mustangs tight within striking-distance of the Warriors' 26-25 lead.

Vaughan would finish with a game-high 21 points on eight-for-13 shooting, also adding a game-high six assists. Vaughan's backcourt partner, third-year guard Caroline Wolynski, added 13 point, seven rebounds and six steals.

The Warriors were lead in scoring with 18 points from Madison Behr.

As expected, the hot hands for both teams would cool down in the second quarter as the torrid pace reverted to the mean. With Waterloo's three-pointers failing to drop and the Mustangs holding strong on both ends of the floor, the Purple and White assumed a 42-38 halftime lead.

"I don't know that we cracked down [on defense] in the second quarter," said head coach Brian Cheng after the game."I thought they still found their shots, they just didn't make them. I give us credit for securing the boards and getting stops but I thought they still found decent looks. In the third quarter, we really settled down again on our defense."

After distinguished alumna of the Mustangs' basketball program were honoured in a halftime ceremony, the current iteration of the Western squad ignited, racing out to a big third quarter lead by virtue of their tenacious hustle and execution on offense.

Western would enter the final frame with an insurmountable 72-46 lead and never look back.
For the first time this season, Vaughan has entered a game as the top-scorer in Canada, averaging 24.0 points per game on 48.7% shooting-accuracy, including 41.9% on three-pointers and an astonishing 89.5% from the foul line, making Vaughan one of the most efficient scorers in the CIS and a candidate for significant postseason accolades. Vaughan had previously led the OUA in scoring for much of the season but has finally claimed the Canada-wide crown.

No one is happier to have Vaughan along for the ride than Coach Cheng.

"They say the preparation is the key to success. I think Jenny really understands how to prepare her body, mind and skill-set," said Coach Cheng after the win. "She knew she wasn't getting another year of eligibility. Jenny really understood the values of our team. She's really made the most of it. I'm tremendously proud of her and I'm tremendously proud to have had an opportunity to coach her. She's done a fantastic job leading both on and off the court."

The Mustangs' season continues with a marquee road match-up against the Windsor Lancers-- Canada's top-ranked team—on Wednesday, February 5 at the St. Denis Centre. All roads to success appear to run through Windsor this year, with the Lancers also set to host the CIS Championship. Western will have their last chance of the regular season to seize the throne from the reigning champions when the ball drops at 6:00 p.m.