Box Score

OTTAWA, ON - As the Mustangs wrapped up their final game of the weekend in Ottawa, they almost managed to pull off a comeback victory over the Carleton Ravens, falling just short with a six-point deficit.

It was a very fast-paced, high-energy game against the Ravens as these two teams faced off in their only matchup of the season. 

Throughout the first quarter of the game, the Mustangs seemed to be doing well on the transition, and they were working hard to power down the court to get ahead of Carleton. 

Carleton opened strong down under the net from the start of the game, pulling down twice as many rebounds in the first quarter as the Mustangs. 

Western was having some struggles crashing the boards in the beginning, and this, along with the number of missed three-point shots in the first, led to the Mustangs being outscored 30-14 to end the first quarter. 

The zone defense that the Mustangs implemented in the first quarter stuck with them for the remainder of the game, but in the second quarter, it began to pick up and become more effective than when it started. 

The Ravens also held tightly on defense but opted instead for a one-on-one strategy. Western's defense, however, did allow them the chance to swarm and surround an open player near the basket if necessary, and it also helped them crash the boards more effectively than in the first quarter. 

Unlike earlier in the game, Western appeared much more in control, opening the second quarter by scoring six unanswered points and shutting the Ravens out for the first three minutes. 

The three-point shooting also improved drastically in this quarter, with Aryan Sharma scoring multiple threes within a couple of minutes and assisting the Mustangs in bringing the score back within single digits. 

As the first half wrapped up, the Mustangs followed closely behind Carleton with a deficit of 50-37. 

After the break at the half, the Mustangs came out onto the court with more power and determination than we'd seen earlier in the night. 

As the third quarter began, Western went on a dominating 17-0 scoring run, which gave them their first notable lead of the game so far, less than three minutes into the quarter before the Ravens scored their first points of the half. 

Despite what appeared to be a slow start, the Mustangs did not seem to change their defensive approach, sticking to the dispersed defensive strategy that managed to aid in lifting them into the lead. 

The Ravens had previously led in the game by as many as 16 points, but with five minutes remaining in this third quarter, Carleton was down by five points to the Mustangs. 

While the Mustangs had pulled together in this quarter, outscored the Ravens 31-19 since the end of the first half, and held the lead throughout the majority of the third quarter, the Ravens scored a 3-point shot right at the buzzer, which gave them a one-point lead, heading into the final quarter 69-68. 

The final quarter was very similar to the third in that the Mustangs were playing an incredibly fast-paced game on all ends of the court, flustering the Ravens and throwing them off their game they had been playing in the first half. 

The game was neck-and-neck throughout this fourth quarter, with the teams battling it out to hold a steady lead, which proved to be a significant challenge for the Ravens and Mustangs alike. 

While Western was holding the game very close, within a handful of possessions at its largest gap, Carleton's defense was overpowering the Mustangs in the final minutes of play, running down the shot clock on key possessions and causing rushed shots and turnovers. 

Western fought their way back into the game Saturday night and played very well as a unit, managing never to slow down or give up the momentum they gained at halftime. Unfortunately, they fell just short as the final buzzer sounded, and the Mustangs lost to the Carleton Ravens, 97-91. 

The Mustangs return home for their final games of 2022 when they take on the Lakehead Thunderwolves at 8 pm on Friday, December 02 at 8 pm, at Alumni Hall. Tickets can be purchased at WesternMustangs.ca/tickets.