Box Score
LONDON, Ont. The last time the Gryphon men's basketball team met the Western Mustangs, the game came down to the wire with veteran Dan McCarthy sinking a clutch three-point winner for the victory.  Today's game was no different other than the result. After a hard fought very close game, the Gryphons fell to the Mustangs in heartbreaking fashion, as this time it was the Mustangs who scored the game winner with seconds left to pick up the 71-68 win.  
 
The Gryphons drop their record to 5-10 on the season while the Mustangs improve to 2-13.
 
Dan McCarthy led the Gryphons with 18 points and nine rebounds. Jack Beatty (Woodstock, Ont.) and Kareem Malcolm (Brampton, Ont.) also registered double digits with 13 and 11 points respectively.
 
Both teams struggled to get anything going in the first few minutes of the game. Tough defensive pressure on both ends led to a number of forced errors. Eventually, Western found their offensive rhythm and all the starters began to make their shots. The first-quarter ended with the score 17-12 in favour of the Mustangs. In the second-quarter, the Mustangs gained some scoring from their fresh legs off the bench to pull ahead even further. At this point, down significantly in the match, the Gryphons began to execute a successful offence and their key players began to make shots in an attempt to respond to the Mustangs effort. At the end of first half, the Mustangs were up 31-25.
 
The third-quarter started off with both teams moving well up and down the court. A great three-pointer from Guelph's Michel Clark (Burlington, Ont.) early on in the quarter was quickly answered by Western. At the end of the third, the Mustangs still held on to a slim 53-50 lead with one quarter remaining. In the fourth quarter, the Mustangs continued to make shots while their defensive presence prevented Guelph's ability to execute. With 25 seconds to go, the game was tied 68-68. In the dying seconds of the game, Western's Quinn Henderson scored a spectacular three-pointer at the buzzer to secure the 71-68 win for the Mustangs.
 
The Gryphons will be content to return home to the Mitchell Centre this weekend and their home court when host play back-to-back games with the Lakehead Thunderwolves on Friday (Feb. 1) and Saturday (Feb. 2).  Game time is 8:00 p.m. for both nights.