GUELPH, ON – The third time might be the charm, but the third quarter was not kind to the Guelph Gryphons men's basketball team on Friday night.
 
The Gryphs emerged from halftime with a one-point lead over the No. 5-ranked McMaster Marauders, but were outscored 29-16 in the third frame. And that 13-point deficit turned out to be the difference in an 89-76 loss at the W.F. Mitchell Athletics Centre.
 
Guelph turned the ball over 22 times, which hurt. Mac also dominated on the glass, grabbing 47 rebounds, including 28 defensive boards.
 
More than a few of those defensive rebounds followed baskets that should have been made, but the ball just wasn't falling for the Gryphs, for some reason. Their lack of success seemed to drop them into a funk that they couldn't shake for the rest of the game.
 
"We just didn't capitalize," said Gryphons head coach Chris O'Rourke. "Some of the things they did were effective, and we didn't take advantage of some of the things they didn't do. And then they went on a run, and that's the type of team they are."
 
The score would have been much more lopsided if not for Jonathan Wallace. The Malton, ON, native led all scorers with 23 points; 18 of them came in the second half.
 
Taylor Boers, of Belleville, ON, poured in 20 points. He hit three three-pointers and was a perfect five-for-five from the charity stripe. Fifth year seior Jack Beatty, who was honoured prior to tip, added 12 points and collected 10 rebounds, while Ahmed Haroon, of Mississauga, ON, scored 10.
 
O'Rourke praised the performances of Wallace and Boers, who have stepped up this year to take on important leadership roles.
 
"They're both third-year guards who have gotten a lot of experience, and certainly it's paying off now. They're playing the way we think they're capable of." Both Boers and Wallace shouldered heavier than usual loads in terms of carrying the ball up with starting point guard Daniel Dooley sitting the game out due to injury.
 
Four players scored in double-digits for Mac – Leon Alexander with 18 points, Troy Joseph and Aaron Redpath with 17 apiece, and Trevon McNeil with 14. Rohan Boney added nine points and grabbed 16 rebounds, eight at each end.
 
There's a lot at stake in Saturday's varsity basketball finale at the Mitchell Centre. The Gryphs will play the last regular season game at the facility – and maybe the final game, period – in a game that will determine whether or not Guelph sees the postseason.
 
"Once we leave this team room, we've got to leave it here," O'Rourke said of Friday's loss. "We've got to get a good rest and wake up tomorrow focused on Brock, and play our best game of the year."
 
The Gryphs are chasing Lakehead for the third and final playoff spot in the OUA Central Division. Lakehead lost on Friday night to Western in London and is in third place with a 10-8 record. Guelph is at 9-9, meaning a win on Saturday and a Lakehead loss in Windsor could propel the Gryphs into the playoffs as they own the head-to-head tiebreak with the Thunderwolves should both teams finish 10-9.
 
"It's a must-win. We have to win tomorrow night," O'Rourke said.
 
Game time against Brock is 8 p.m., the second half of the final OUA doubleheader at the Mitchell Centre. O'Rourke, who's been a player and coach at Guelph since 1989, said it hasn't sunk in for him yet that it's the end of the line for the venerable facility.
 
"You're so focused on the season and the now, so it's hard for me to really think back too much and reflect on it, although I certainly will at some point," he said. "This place has obviously meant a lot to me and my life and my career."
 
The Gryphs honoured fifth-year guard Jack Beatty prior to Friday's game. He's the team's only graduating senior this season.