The Mustangs began their season with a 1-1 record after splitting their opening matchups this past week on the road, falling to the Brock Badgers before earning their first win of the year over the Waterloo Warriors.

In their opening game against Brock, the Mustangs had trouble taking care of possessions as they allowed the Badgers to score 25 of their total 62 points off of turnovers. Western held the lead through the fourth quarter, but a late run by Brock would ultimately be too much for the purple and white, starting the season 0-1 with a 62-53 loss.

In their following matchup against the Waterloo, Western controlled the ball more effectively, cutting down on their turnovers from earlier in the week. The Warriors kept the game within reach through all four quarters, but a 14-point performance from Maddy Horst would help push the Mustangs to the 48-43 victory.

Western vs. Toronto – Friday, November 3 at 6:00 p.m. – Tune in live on Radio Western 94.9 FM
NOTE: There will be no webcast for this game, we apologize for the inconvenience

The Toronto Varsity Blues will travel to Alumni Hall for their second road game of the season after a dominant 67-28 victory over the Algoma Thunderbirds to hold a 1-0 record to start the year. As difficult as it is to assess a team after just one game, this meeting with the Mustangs will be a chance for Toronto to prove themselves as a strong contender this year while offering Western a chance to earn a win in their home opener.

Toronto showed their range in their opening game, as they went 10-20 from three-point range, spreading the floor all night against the Thunderbirds. The Varsity Blues also held a dominant rebounding advantage, securing 45 throughout the night, an area which Western has struggled to start the season. The Mustangs will be looking to continue their strong perimeter defence against a Varsity Blues team which has proven it can score from beyond the arc.

Toronto boasts three players who scored in double-figures against Algoma, as Rahshida Atkinson led the team with 19 points in their opening contest, followed by Keyira Parkes with 12 and Nada Radonjic with 11. The duo of Atkinson and Parkes led the team in scoring last season and will hope to put up similar numbers once again this year. Toronto will be led by Michèle Bélanger at the helm. Bélanger is a staple of Toronto basketball, as she is currently in her 39th season with the team, offering some of the best coaching experience the OUA has to offer.

Western vs. Ryerson – Saturday, November 4 at 6:00 p.m.
NOTE: There will be no webcast for this game, we apologize for the inconvenience

After their home opener against Toronto, the Mustangs will host the Rams the following evening at Alumni Hall. Ryerson, who remains one of the most competitive programs in the OUA, started their season with a 78-58 victory over the Algoma Thunderbirds for their first road win of the year.

In their previous game against the Mustangs last season, Ryerson walked away with a 72-51 victory, as Western will hope for a different result in a new year. In their only game of the season thus far, Ryerson looked as disciplined as ever, only turning the ball over 11 times and putting up a dominant rebounding performance in the victory. Although the Rams had no trouble scoring throughout the game, Ryerson had difficulty connecting from beyond the arc in their season-opener, a good sign for a Western defence which emphasizes on locking down shooters.

Ryerson's offence will once again be run by Sofia Paska, who led the team in scoring last season with 18.5 PPG and started off her year strong with a game-high 22 points in the win over Algoma. Rookie forward Jama-Bin Edward will be looked to lighten to load for Paska, as she put up eleven points and five rebounds in her debut. The Rams will be led by head coach Carly Clarke, who is in her sixth season with the team.