TORONTO, Ont. - Fifth-year guard Mackenzie Puklicz scored a game-high 29 points to help carry the Western Mustangs to an incredible comeback against the York Lions on Friday evening. The win against the Lions snapped a three-game losing streak for the purple and white, as they will look to carry this momentum into the rest of the season.

Puklicz, who is leading the team in scoring with 14.0 points per game, did it all for the Mustangs on Friday, adding five rebounds and five assists in her highest-scoring performance of the year.

Two other Mustangs scored in double-figures for the purple and white in the win, as guard Maddy Horst dropped 18 points on 3-5 shooting from beyond the arc, while forward Julia Curran notched 13 points, six assists, and five rebounds on the night.

The Lions came out of the gate with a full-court press to begin the game, forcing the Mustangs into three early turnovers and keeping the Western offence from finding any momentum. However, Western would quickly respond, as Horst and Puklicz would each knock down a pair of threes to help the purple and white get back into the game and retake a slim lead. Both teams would continue to turn the ball over with regularity to end the quarter, as the Lions went into the second frame with a 15-14 lead.

York's offence began to find success in the second quarter, slowing down the pace and succeeding in the half-court setting. The assists would continue to pile up for the Lions throughout the quarter, but it was a different story for the majority of the frame for the Mustangs, as Western failed to score a basket until midway through the second quarter.

The turnovers continued to add up late in the second for the purple and white, hindering their offence and opening up a 13-point York lead late in the half. Despite shooting 6-9 from beyond the arc, Western's 13 first-half turnovers would be too much to overcome in the frame, as the Mustangs went into halftime facing a 25-34 deficit.

The Western defence would lock down to begin the second half, helping them to cut into the York lead and get themselves back into the game with strong energy on the perimeter. Curran quickly emerged as the cornerstone for the Mustangs' offence in the third quarter, facilitating the ball to teammates and creating open shots. However, the scoring from York's Lindsay Shotbolt started to heat up near the end of the frame, while the Lions' full-court press continued to force the Mustangs into a bevy of turnovers. Strong defensive coverage coupled with an enormous rebounding advantage would see the York Lions head into the fourth with a 46-56 advantage.

The Lions' defence picked up right where they left off to start the final quarter of play, trapping the Mustangs' ball-handlers and not allowing the them to move the ball effectively. However, Western's resilience would be rewarded late in the fourth, as a string of offensive rebounds and a strong defensive run would bring the purple and white within five points with just minutes remaining on the clock.

York would put themselves in foul-trouble late in the quarter, allowing Western to climb back in the game while preserving time on the clock. Clutch fourth-quarter efforts from Puklicz and Horst would keep the Mustangs within striking distance, until a string of four turnovers within the final two minutes of play, alongside a timely three pointer from Puklicz, would ultimately give the Mustangs a 73-67 victory.

With the win, the Mustangs will improve to 4-4 on the season, snapping a three-game losing streak and moving into fifth place in the OUA West division. The Lions' loss will put an end to their three-game winning streak, as they also sit at 4-4 on the season and remain in fourth place in the OUA East division.

The Mustangs will be back in action tomorrow, November 25, where they will travel to take on the Queen's Gaels for their first meeting of the season. The game is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. and fans can catch the action live at OUA.tv.