TORONTO, Ont. – The men's basketball team entered the decade with a tight 94-88 win over the University of Toronto Varsity Blue's on Friday evening. The win will push their record to 11-2 while the Blue's fall to 4-7.
 
Western put up 5 points early in the game before being met with a powerful dunk from UFT's Anthony Daudu. The laid-back tone of the first three minutes would set the pace for the rest of the quarter as Western solidified an early lead on the Varsity Blue's. With multiple three-pointers, both Omar Shiddo of the 'Stangs and Eric Rwahwire of the Blue's quickly identified themselves as players that would go on to make or break the match.
 
The second quarter spent most of its time stuck in a deadlock. With consistent free-throws from Rwahwire and threes from Daudu, UFT held a steady growth in time with that of Western's. The Purple and White demonstrated their ability to play a more patient game and, allowing the Blue's to take poor shots, benefited from their persistence. With baskets from Nikola Farkic and Aaron Tennant, the Mustangs would enter the third quarter with a 42-33 lead.
 
Shiddo returned to the court after repeated fouls to open up the second half of the game with not one, but two sharp three-pointers from the same corner of the court. Shortly thereafter, Shiddo fell into more foul trouble and would walk off to be replaced by Tyler Thomson. Tennant held what was likely to be the play of the game after Daudu ripped possession from the Mustangs, only for Eriq Jenkins to steal it back immediately and set up a dunk for Tennant who seemed to appear out of nowhere. The thrilling move pushed the 'Stangs to a 17-point lead which would continue to grow before its decline would commence.
 
The Varsity Blue's carried the momentum from their last minute of the third into the fourth quarter. Tennant's free-throws had pushed the Purple and White to 74, but with Evan Shadkami's return to the court, UFT put up a near-instant 7 points that forced Western to take a time out. After being down by 26 points, the Blue's pulled themselves up to a 10-point deficit with ample time left in the match. Fouls proved to be the downfall for both teams as UFT was forced to give up Rwahwire and Shadkami and the Mustangs Shiddo, changing the fate of the match and the Blue's ability to comeback. Although Daniel Johansson brought them within three points of the 'Stangs, the gap refused to get any smaller as Western discovered their last wind. With one last foul shot, Thomson brought the game to its final score of 94-88.
 
The Mustangs will return to the court in a battle against the Ryerson University Rams on Saturday, January 11^th, at Coca-Cola Court in Toronto. The game is scheduled to begin at 2:00 P.M EST.