The Mustangs will be back at home in Alumni Hall this weekend following a four-game road trip, splitting their most-recent weekend series, getting the better of the York Lions before falling to the Queen's Gaels the following night in Kingston.

Western managed to break their losing streak in their Friday night matchup against the Lions, but a loss to the Gaels the following evening earned them a 4-5 record on the season, good enough for sixth place in the OUA West division.

Friday evening saw the purple and white travel to Toronto to take on the now 4-5 York Lions in their first meeting of the season. The York defence seemed to affect the Mustang offence to start the game, as Western was unable to find their flow through the opening half. However, clutch fourth quarter performances from Mackenzie Puklicz and Maddy Horst would spark a final Mustangs run in a come-from-behind effort. The 73-67 win saw the Mustangs snap their three-game losing streak as they prepared to travel to Kingston to take on the Gaels the following night.

Saturday proved to be another valiant effort by the Mustangs against a now 7-1 Gaels team, as Western challenged Queen's with yet another strong fourth quarter run. Queen's found themselves building a substantial lead through the opening quarter, but yet another 20+-point performance from Puklicz allowed the Mustangs to get back in the contest. However, strong execution by the veteran Queen's roster would ultimately be too much in the Mustangs in the 71-68 loss.

Western vs. Laurentian– Friday, December 1 at 11:00 a.m. - Watch live at OUA.tv

The Mustangs will be looking to bounce back at home against the Laurentian Voyageurs this Friday in a school-day game in Alumni Hall, where the Mustangs will be greeted by young fans from across the city. The game will mark the first meeting between the two teams since November of last year, where Western walked away with an eight-point victory. The Voyageurs have struggled so far this season, holding a 2-5 record after splitting their most recent games, falling to Guelph this past weekend and earning a blowout victory over Algoma the following night.

Despite the recent win for the Voyageurs, Laurentian has struggled to stop opponents from scoring, allowing 67.7 points per game while giving up over 80 points in three games this season. Averaging just 1.1 blocks per game and holding a -5.1 rebounding advantage, controlling the paint has been an issue for Laurentian throughout the year, a welcome site for one of Western's biggest scoring threats inside, Julia Curran. The offence has also proven to be a point of concern this season for the Voyageurs, as the team has shot a dismal 33.7% from the field while being held to just 58.3 points per game. However, following a 33-point victory over Algoma, Laurentian will be looking to be riding that momentum against a Western team which has yet to show consistent offensive production.

Laurentian will enter Friday's game led by guard Emily Tinnes. Tinnes, who is averaging 12.9 points per game for the Voyageurs, has shot a respectable 35.9% from beyond the arc, proving herself as a threat from deep. Tinnes will be complimented by veteran guard L'Ashante Henry who is averaging 12 points per game and leads the team in rebounding with 7.5 per game. The Mustangs will look to continue their defensive effort against the Voyageurs, as Western held Tinnes to 14 points and Henry to just two points in their meeting last season.

Western vs. Nipissing– Saturday December 2 at 6:00 p.m. - Watch live at OUA.tv

The Nipissing Lakers will enter their Saturday matchup against the Mustangs with a 2-5 record on the season, as they sit tied for seventh in the OUA East division alongside the Laurentian Voyageurs. The Lakers will be looking to bounce back following a 27-point loss to the Guelph Gryphons at home. This Saturday will mark the first meeting between Western and Nipissing since early last season, where the Mustangs won over the Lakers by a 15-point margin.

Despite the lack of victories at this point in the season, the Lakers have shown the ability to shoot from beyond the arc with efficient at a high volume. Nipissing ranks second in the nation in three-point attempts and connects on an average of 6.1 per game, sparking their offence from beyond the arc. However, the offence has been hindered by the team's inability to take care of the basketball, as the Lakers average 20 turnovers per game, a large factor in their low scoring-rate. In contrast to Western, Nipissing has struggled to find their defensive identity, allowing teams to score with regularity. However, if the Mustangs fail to continue their strong perimeter defence, Western could easily find themselves on the wrong end of a scoring run, sparked by the Lakers' long-range shooting.

Nipissing will be led by guard Heidi Smith. Smith, who is averaging 9.5 points per game, has shot respectively from beyond the arc, hitting 32.7% from long-range, but has struggled to find her offence elsewhere, shooting just 30.3% from the field. Limiting Smith's perimeter opportunities will be a key factor to Western's defensive strategy. Smith has been a strong all-around player for the Lakers so far this season, putting up 2.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game to compliment her point production.