The Mustangs will be back on the road for the first time since late November as they prepare to travel to Sault Ste. Marie for a pair of matchups against the Algoma Thunderbirds after splitting a pair of games this past week in Alumni Hall.

Western played host to a struggling Gryphon team this past Wednesday in Alumni Hall as they shot the lights out on their way to a 99-80 blowout in an interdivisional matchup.

Guelph looked comfortable going toe-to-toe against the purple and white to begin the night, staying in the game through the first frame. However, a 31-point second quarter from the Mustangs would give Western a substantial lead heading into the half on route to their 19-point win.

The following night was a different story for the purple and white as they faced a now 3-13 McMaster team.

The Mustangs found themselves dominated by the Marauders on the glass while allowing McMaster to get to the foul line with ease. Despite the loss, the Mustangs managed to remain in second place in the OUA West division with a 9-7 record to end the weekend.

Western at Algoma – Friday, January 26 at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, January 27 at 8:00 p.m. - Watch live on OUA.tv

In their previous matchup against the Thunderbirds, the Mustangs travelled to Sault Ste. Marie for back to back matchups with Algoma in which Western took the victory in both meetings.

Mustang guard Omar Shiddo led the way in the first game, scoring 20 points and giving Western an early advantage in which they would not relinquish. Jedson Tavernier led the purple and white the following evening, scoring 17 points and going 5-8 from beyond the arc to propel the team to a strong fourth quarter and another win.

This season has been a bit of a struggle for the Thunderbirds, as the team currently holds a 4-12 and sits sixth place in the OUA West division.
The team has had trouble converting on the offensive end of the floor, sitting second-last in the nation in points per game, scoring 65.3 points per contest on just 36.3 shooting from the field.

Despite the offensive trials, the defence has been relatively strong for Algoma throughout the season, sitting top ten in opponents three-point percentage and second in blocks per game, defending all areas of the floor. The Thunderbird's ability to defend from beyond the arc will be a challenge for a Western team which relies heavily on the three-point shot, ranking top-ten in the country in three-point attempts.

The Thunderbirds will be led by guard Ian Nash who is leading the team with 17.8 points per game on 42 percent shooting from the field. Nash has shown his versatility throughout the season, averaging 3.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.

Fellow guard Jermaine Lyle has proven to be valuable for Algoma this season, being the only other player to average double-digit points with 10.3 per game to go along with 3.8 rebounds per contest.