SAULT STE MARIE, Ont. – The Western Mustangs defeated the Algoma Thunderbirds for the second time in as many nights on Saturday, completing the two-game sweep with an 86-75 win at the George Leach Centre.

The win gives Western a 5-11 record, moving them into sole possession of third place in the OUA West. Algoma falls to 4-12 on the year, good for fourth in the West alongside the Waterloo Warriors.

Jedson Tavernier led the Mustangs offence with 17 points, including going 5-8 from three-point range. Omar Shiddo and Cam Morris followed with 16 and 15 points, respectively. Eriq Jenkins, Eric McDonald and Nikola Farkic led the Mustangs in rebounds, grabbing five apiece. Jenkins also led the team in steals with seven, while Farkic topped the list with seven assists.

Sean Clendinning topped the scoresheet for the Thunderbirds, recording a game-high 20 points, while Reng Gum followed with 15. Gum also recorded 10 rebounds on the night to complete the double double.

Algoma took control of the scoreboard for most of the first frame, with Clendinning recording eight points, including two baskets from beyond the arc. Western tied things up late in the quarter thanks to back-to-back threes from Tavernier, after which the two teams traded points with Algoma holding a 22-21 lead after 10 minutes.

The Thunderbirds quickly extended their lead in the second, going on an 8-0 run to start the quarter. Algoma increased their advantage to as high as 14 points before the Mustangs began to close the gap, heading into halftime with the home side up 43-34.

Western responded well after the break, going on a 14-7 run that propelled them into a 50-50 tie with Algoma midway through the third. It was a team effort in the frame with Morris making two early three-pointers, while Farkic netted six points and McDonald added four to help the Mustangs take a 62-58 lead into the fourth.

Despite trading points through the early stages of the final quarter, the Mustangs never looked back, pulling away around the midway point of the frame on their way to an 86-75 victory.

The Mustangs are back in action on Wednesday, February 8 against the Waterloo Warriors at Alumni Hall. Tip-off is at 8 p.m. and can be watched live on OUA.tv.