The Mustangs will return to Alumni Hall this Wednesday evening to host the Waterloo Warriors before heading back on the road to take on the Windsor Lancers in enemy territory this Saturday afternoon. After capturing a pair of road wins against the Algoma Thunderbirds this past weekend, Western found themselves retaking fourth place in the OUA West division with a 10-8 record on the season.

The purple and white travelled down to take on the now 2-16 Thunderbirds in their first of two meetings of the season on Friday evening. The Mustangs' defence clamped down on a struggling Thunderbird offence to begin the game, giving them a slight lead heading into the second quarter where Western would blow the game wide open behind 19 points from fifth-year guard Mackenzie Puklicz. By the end of the night, Western found themselves cruising to a 76-58 victory.

The following night was a different story for the Mustangs, as Algoma came out of the gate with purpose and intensity, seemingly taking Western by surprise. Western held just a small four-point lead heading into halftime, but yet another incredible performance from Puklicz would allow the Mustangs to go on a sustained run, scoring 25 second half points and 30 total points on the evening. By the end of the night the Mustangs walked away with a 71-65 win and their second victory of the weekend.


Western vs. Waterloo – Wednesday, January 31 at 6:00 p.m. - Tune in live on OUA.tv and Radio Western 94.9 FM

Western will be hosting the Waterloo Warriors for their second and final meeting of the regular season, where they will look to improve their record and further secure their fourth-place positioning in the OUA West division. It was a close game the last time these two teams met up, as the Mustangs walked away with a slim 48-43 victory. Early season rust seemed to plague the Mustangs throughout the game, as they shot just 26.6 percent from the field in their second game of the regular season against the Warriors. However, the Mustangs' defence was able to keep them afloat throughout the night, racking up 10 steals in the contest and walking away with the victory.

As close as the first meeting might have been, these two teams have gone in two different directions since that game. Western currently sits in the upper-half of the division while Waterloo holds a 1-17 record on the season, sitting in last in the OUA West division. Despite the poor record, Waterloo's defence has been relatively passable for the majority of the season, sitting around the middle of the pack in most statistical categories. However, it's been the offence which has hindered the Warriors this season, as the team is currently last in field goal percentage and points per game, scoring just 45.6 points per game while ranking second last in assists per game.

Waterloo will be led by guard Sydney Wilson and forward Ann Stewart this Wednesday. Wilson, who leads the team in scoring, has averaged 8.3 points per game this season on 32.2 percent shooting from the field. Wilson has also proved to be a solid defensive weapon for the Warriors, averaging 1.5 steals per contest. Stewart hasn't been far behind Wilson in terms of scoring, averaging 7.1 points per game and leading the team with 4.2 rebounds per contest.


Western at Windsor– Wednesday, February at 3 at 2:00 p.m. - Watch live on OUA.tv

Western's following matchup against Windsor will likely be a much different challenge for the purple and white. This will mark the Mustangs' second and final matchup with the Lancers this season after losing in an 89-62 blowout in their last meeting this past November in Alumni Hall. The Lancers, as they have all season long, shot the lights out on the road, hitting 10 threes on the night while forcing 17 turnovers in the game as well, making an impact on both ends of the floor. After showing flashes of brilliance this past weekend against Algoma, Western will be hoping to match that offence with some improved shooting of their own.

Following their win in Alumni Hall, Windsor has remained strong all season long, boasting a 14-4 record on the season while sitting atop the OUA West division standings. The Lancers know their strength and have been riding it all season long - long-range shooting. Windsor currently sits third in the country in three-point percentage and fifth in the nation in threes made, shooting a high volume with incredible efficiency. The Lancers' offence is made even more potent by their effective ball movement, sitting top-ten in assists per game, an intimidating prospect for a Western defence which has often been picked apart by strong shooting and ball movement at times this season.

The Lancers will once again be led by forward Emily Prevost who is averaging a respectable 15.5 points per game on 50.9 percent shooting from the field. Prevost has also been locking down the paint for Windsor, averaging a double-double on the season with 10.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. Guard Carly Steer has also been a lethal shooter for Windsor this season, averaging 11.9 points per game on 35.7 percent shooting from beyond the arc.