LONDON, Ont - A comfortable lead right from the tip-off kept the Mustangs on top of the Warriors the whole game to take the win with a final score of 71-54 at Alumni Hall on Saturday afternoon.
The Mustangs extend their record to 8-3 keeping them in first place in the OUA West Division standings. Saturday's win tackled their fourth consecutive win and their ninth win over the last 11 games against the Warriors. The Warriors record moves to 3-8, taking their fifth loss in a row and keeping them in fourth place in the OUA West Division.
After a successful last couple of games, Greg Morrow topped the scoresheet once again, gaining the game-high 19 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists, all of which helped the Mustangs stay on top of their visitors. Jedson Tavernier was the star of the arc going 3-7 of three-point attempts and making 10 points in the game. Warrior player Myles Charvis followed right behind Morrow with 17 points and going 100% on the free throw line for the Warrior score. Both teams capitalized on their shots from the free throw line with the Warriors hitting 80% of their shots, with the Mustangs following close behind with a 73.9% success rate.
"It's a good feeling to be on top. There's definitely some other good teams out there. We have to keep playing hard and working hard to stay up there because there's a bunch of other teams fighting for that spot, too" says Morrow on the success of the teams latest victories, "We're not taking anything for granted. We're taking it one game at a time."
The Mustangs refused to stray from their current winning streak and came to play right from the tip-off. Quinn Henderson was the biggest weapon for the Mustang offence with his continuous success on the arc. Making 66% of his attempts in the first quarter, Henderson kept the ball in the net and the Mustangs in the lead. Teammate and rookie, Tavernier followed the veterans footsteps and went 2-2 downtown also adding six points to the Mustangs score. The first ended 23-11 in favour for the purple and white with 23-11, giving them a safe lead into the second quarter.
The Warriors made a fast break during the second period going on a 9-0 run during the first four minutes allowing them to come within six  points of their host. They kept their eyes open and made steals when the Mustangs let their guard down. The Warriors 90% success from the free throw line saw Jaspreet Gill hit four points and Charvis grabbing both of his free throws for the Warriors score in the second quarter. Charvis shared the game-high for the half with Tavernier, each contributing nine points for their team. Despite the catch up from their visitors, the Mustangs grabbed each missed shot preventing second chances to the net. The Mustangs were able to keep their defence well fortified and kept their lead in the end of the half with a score of 37-26.
The Mustangs did not come back from the half ready to settle down. After making an attempt at a goaltend early in the first half, Morrow successfully made an impressive block that took down Jon Ravenhorst's attempt at a shot to the net. Also making an impact on the court, Tom Filgiano's determination never died down as he refused to give up a turnover, grabbed his teams own rebounds, and fought through three players to sink a basket from the key. Despite the Warriors taking the slight advantage in height, the Mustangs grabbed 20 rebounds in the second half.
Cameron Morris made strong plays when he grabbed three rebounds within one minute, finishing with a well deserved basket on his play. A number of heads-up plays by the Mustangs allowed them to finish on top, with a lead of 22 and a score of 58-36 to go into the final quarter.
Despite the purple and white having a lead of 22 points, the Warriors refused to give up in the final quarter. The Warriors used their height to grab some rebounds and bring it all the way to their net for a chance at a basket. Even with the smart plays the Warriors acted on, they could not connect to the net and catch up to the Mustang score. The Mustangs continued to shine in the perimeter, finishing the game connecting 28% of their three point attempts in comparison to the Warriors who finished with a mere 9% success rate from the arc. As the lead seemed too much of a stretch for the Warriors, the Mustangs continued their winning streak with a score of 71-54.
Head coach Brad Campbell gave credit to many of his players saying, "Charlie Drouin, coming off of the bench as a veteran guy, helped us win that Laurier game. Cam, who hasn't played the last couple of games for us, gave us a nice lift off the bench today." With these players coming off the bench, "the depth is going to be critical and key for us moving forward."
The Mustangs return to Alumni Hall to take on the CIS no. 2 Carleton Ravens on Friday, January 23. Tip-off is at 8 p.m. and can be watched live at OUA.tv.
