Box Score HAMILTON, Ont - An impressive 24-point showing from Omar Shiddo helped Western pull out a tough-fought 88-85 win over the McMaster Marauders on Saturday afternoon.
 
Shiddo once again led the Mustangs with a game-high 24 points.. First-year forward Aaron Tennant was also able to give some good production off the bench, recording 12 points and 6 rebounds while shooting an efficient 75% from the field.
 
Jordan Henry spearheaded the Marauders' offence, scoring 18 points alongside his impressive stat line of 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals.
 
Coming off of several tough losses, the Mustangs were eager to redeem themselves and immediately sparked a strong offensive showing. Making use of several turnovers to push the ball forward, they converted on fast-break chances and helped spur a couple runs. Shiddo was red-hot from the field - being a threat both in and outside the arc - and quickly poured in 15 points within the quarter. The Marauders, on the other hand, were unable to find their shooting touch, and quickly fell behind. Concluding with a final trio of free-throws from Shiddo, the Mustangs led 23-11.
 
Unfortunately, Western weren't able to keep this run going, as McMaster quickly answered back with a strong second quarter. Outscoring the Mustangs by 9 points, this was largely due to constant pressure on the offensive glass. The Marauders took advantage of their size and grabbed several offensive boards, helping initiate several second-chance opportunities as they fought their way back into the game. Narrowly leading, Western remained ahead at 41-38 heading into halftime.
 
In the third quarter, as the Mustangs exchanged buckets with their opponents, the lead was swapped several times. McMaster's fatigue became evident as they made a few sloppy turnovers down the stretch, enabling Western to gain a slight edge. Going into the final 10 minutes, the purple and white managed to cement a double-digit lead, and held their opposition fast at 64-54.
 
Quick to not count themselves out, the Marauders managed to close the gap with a huge 8-0 run midway through the fourth, largely relying again on their rebounding advantage. Coming within a single point, Western managed to hold back their push and win the game on narrow margins, a couple key free-throws down the stretch helping ice out the 88-85 win.

With the win, the Mustangs improve to 13-7 on the season, as they remain in third in the OUA West division standings. The Marauders record moves to 9-11 on the year, as they remain in fourth in the OUA West.
 
The Mustangs return home this Wednesday to take on the Windsor Lancers in Alumni Hall at 8:00pm. Fans can catch all the action live on OUA.tv.