LONDON, Ont. – The U SPORTS No. 3 Ottawa Gee-Gees were the first horse out of the gate on Friday afternoon, outscoring the Mustangs 22-9 in the opening quarter on their way to a 91-55 victory at Alumni Hall.
"The two-week layoff hasn't been good for us" said head coach Brad Campbell. "We came out against one of the better teams in the country and were entirely flat, didn't execute particularly well, and just really had no life."
The loss moves the Mustangs to 3-10 and they remain in a tie for fourth in the OUA West. The Gee-Gees record improves to 12-1 keeping them in second in the OUA North, just behind their crosstown rivals in the Carleton Ravens.
Eriq Jenkins and Omar Shiddo led the Mustangs in scoring on Friday, recording 14 and 10 points respectively. Jenkins also led the team with six rebounds, while Shiddo, Alex Otzyv and Eric McDonald grabbed four rebounds each.
The Gee-Gees had five players score double digits, with MacKenzie Morrison recording 13 points, while Jean Emmanuel Pierre-Charles, Adam Presutti, and Ryan Basso recorded 12 points each. Brandon Robinson followed with 10 points. Pierre-Charles led the Gee-Gees with nine rebounds, while Caleb Agada recorded seven.
Tight defensive play from the Gee-Gees kept the purple and white score at bay, while a quick offence allowed them to pull further ahead. Pierre-Charles and Morrison combined for 15 points, with Agada leading the team's rebounding efforts in the first half with seven defensive rebounds, to take a 40-17 lead into the half.
It wasn't until the third frame that the Mustangs were in peak offensive form, with Morris and Coote finding success at the three-point line while Jenkins contributed six points for purple and white.
The second half ushered in improved defensive play on the part of the Mustangs. Four steals in the third quarter allowed the Mustangs to create greater opportunities at the basket. The Gee-Gees pushed back towards the end of the quarter to head into the fourth with a 67-38 lead.
Ottawa's early lead continued to loom over the Mustangs throughout the fourth quarter, allowing them to take a 91-55 victory.
"There's a lesson to be learned here. If we do the same tomorrow, the result will be even more lopsided," said Campbell. "We've got to make sure we have the right mindset and we come to play and focused and do the things we're capable of doing. Otherwise it'll be the same result."
The Mustangs are back in action on Saturday night and will return to Alumni Hall to host the Carleton Ravens. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. and can be watched live on OUA.tv.
