London, ON — Western dominated both ends of the court in a 77-50 win over Ottawa in the opening game of the 2026 OUA playoffs.
Western forced 24 turnovers, converting them into 29 points, and tallied 17 steals. The Mustangs also controlled the boards with a 43-33 rebounding advantage, while the Gee Gees were held to 16% shooting from beyond the arc.
After the game, Head Coach Nate McKibbon expressed his pride in the team's resilience, saying, "I'm just so proud of them for fighting and for them to put trust in us and making some changes midway through to do some things to put us in this situation." He highlighted the importance of the team's perseverance despite early challenges, noting, "I thought the score didn't dictate how well we were playing in the first quarter. We were frustrating them and we had some opportunities. We just didn't capitalize." He praised Sid for a strong performance with 23 points, most in the first half, and Natalie Van Hewick for her contribution with 9 rebounds and 9 points by halftime. McKibbon acknowledged the growth of his younger players, stating, "They're no longer in first year. They played enough minutes that like they were. 2nd year by the time we got to Christmas." Looking ahead, he emphasized the balance between confidence and respect for future opponents, saying, "I think it gives us a little bit of confidence going in, but not so much that we don't respect what they do."
The game began with the Mustangs seizing early momentum through two free throws by Paris Alexander at 9:35. Western then capitalized on defensive pressure, leading to a series of successful plays, including a 3-pointer by Sydney Cowan at 6:39, putting Western ahead 5-4. Despite Ottawa briefly taking the lead at 7-4, Western responded decisively with Renee Armstrong's layup at 5:19, equalizing the score. Emily Capretta extended the Mustangs' advantage with a 3-pointer at 3:14, assisted by Alexander, and Natalie Vanheeswyk closed the quarter with crucial free throws at 00:19. The Mustangs led 17-11 at the end of the first quarter.
Western took control of the game with a decisive 13-0 run, highlighted by Sydney Cowan's two 3-pointers, including a crucial shot with 10 seconds remaining in the quarter. This offensive burst was supported by strong defensive efforts, including seven steals, which disrupted the Gee Gees' rhythm and led to multiple turnovers. The Mustangs finished the second quarter with a 44-27 lead.
Western extended its lead significantly during the third quarter, highlighted by a key three-pointer from Renee Armstrong with 17 seconds remaining, pushing the advantage to 23 points. The Mustangs' defense was pivotal, recording three blocks and limiting Ottawa's scoring opportunities. The quarter concluded with the Mustangs leading 60-37, setting a strong position for the final quarter.
Western extended its lead in the fourth quarter with a series of key plays, starting with a jumper by Sydney Cowan at 9:27. Ainsley Lane's three-pointer at 8:33 further widened the gap, contributing to Western's largest lead of the game at 4:46. Defensively, the Mustangs held strong, securing a 17-13 quarter advantage and ending the game with a decisive 77-50 victory over Ottawa.
NEXT GAME
With this win, Western advances to the OUA quarterfinals to take on the TMU Bold. The game is set for Saturday, February 21 at 4:00 PM. Fans can stream the action live on OUA.tv.
"I think it gives us a little bit of confidence going in, but not so much that we don't respect what they do." said McKibbon of the Bold. "I mean, they're really well coached. They're extremely talented. We've shown that we can beat them, so I think that frees us up to play our style. And when we play to our capability and we play to our style, we're really fun to watch and really tough to beat."
KEY STATS
Renee Armstrong
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- 15 points
- 8 assists
- 3 blocks
- 3 steals
Sydney Cowan
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- 23 points
- 5/5 free throws made
- 5 rebounds
Natalie Vanheeswyk
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- 9 points
- 10 rebounds
- 3/5 free throws made
Emily Capretta
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- 9 points
- 6 rebounds
- 3 steals
Monique Monplaisir
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- 4 points
- 2 blocks
- 3 steals
