Thunderdome, Thunder Bay

Western vs Lakehead February 7 80-85

It ended in the one place you never want to see a close game start slipping away, the Thunderdome, with Western chasing the last few stops and shots that would have kept the streak rolling. The Mustangs fought all the way to the final horn, but Lakehead hit the biggest shots at the biggest moments and handed Western an 85-80 loss that snapped the run and left the regular season with one last chance to finish the right way before playoffs.

The first quarter was a grind from the jump. Western generated looks but nothing felt clean, and when the shots did not fall the game immediately turned into a possession battle. Lakehead did not explode, but they were steadier early and edged the frame 14 13 while Western kept working for answers.

The second quarter looked like Western starting to find the balance. The pace settled, the ball moved a little more freely, and Matteo Zagar began to carve out space with strong finishes and extra possessions. Joe Baggaley Lacerte gave Western important scoring and activity, and the Mustangs won the quarter 20 17 to take a 33 31 lead into halftime. It felt like the kind of road game where you survive the early noise, settle into your identity, then squeeze.

Then the third quarter flipped the night. Lakehead came out firing and it was not just makes, it was rhythm. Chris Sagl kept finding shooters and space, and the Thunderwolves dropped six threes in the quarter, turning a two point Western lead into a 58 51 Lakehead advantage. Western kept punching back through Zagar and Milan John, but every time it looked like the run might cool off, another Lakehead shot landed and the margin held.

The fourth quarter was the response you want from a team that believes in itself. Western poured in 29 points, kept attacking, kept getting second chances, and kept giving themselves a chance to steal it late. John battled through a tough shooting night and still found points and playmaking when it mattered. Akot brought lift and shot making. But Lakehead stayed composed, answered at the line, and closed it out.

The numbers tell the shape of it. Western won the glass and generated 20 second chance points, but the difference came from shot making in the third quarter and the thin margins that follow on the road. Lakehead hit 11 threes, Western finished at 9, and in a game with eight lead changes, that one stretch of heat was enough.

Now it becomes fuel. The streak is over, but the season is not. Western gets one more regular season game to lock back in, stack a win, and walk into playoffs with momentum and a clear reminder of how sharp the margins are when it tightens. 

Western game leaders
Matteo Zagar 19 pts 9 reb 2 ast 6 to 2 stl
Milan John 17 pts 4 reb 4 ast 1 to 1 stl
Joe Baggaley Lacerte 12 pts 5 reb 1 ast 2 blk 1 stl
Emmanuel Akot 11 pts 4 reb 5 ast 1 to 1 stl
Tye Cotie 10 pts 5 reb 1 blk 1 stl