GUELPH – Wins are hard to come by in the competitive OUA West. It's a point the Guelph Gryphons men's basketball team has come to understand. The Gryphons have dropped some close ones this season and they were on the wrong end of another tight score Saturday night on their home court. Guelph played well but lost 96-92 in a shootout with the Windsor Lancers at the GGAC.
 
The Gryphons had their chances in a competitive and often feisty game but a few costly misses and defensive lapses down the stretch cost them a chance for a much-needed win.
 
"I can't really fault our offensive effort," said head coach Chris O'Rourke. "We did miss some free throws and a play here or there but ultimately, the difference was our defence. We got let down on a couple takes or gave a couple boards and that hurt us in the end."
 
When Taylor Boers went hard to the basket and finished with his left hand, Guelph was down a single point at 85-84 with 2:14 left. But Windsor guard Mike Rocca stretched the visitors' lead to 90-85 with a deep three-pointer at the 1:18 mark. The Gryphons would shave the lead down to two points a couple of times but the Lancers went 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the final 30 seconds to ice the game.
 
Daniel Dooley led Guelph (3-11) with 23 points, while Boers added 20 in a gritty effort. Jonathan Wallace and Banky Alade had 12 points each. Alade was big in the second half, providing a defensive spark and a few critical hoops inside.

Rocca and Lucas Orlita had 20 points each and combined to to hit 6 of Windsor's 9 three-pointers on the night. Marcus Jones added 18 points before fouling out.
 
O'Rourke knows the team will have to execute in a big game to get over the hump.
 
"It's a domino," he said. " We just need to get that one momentum win and that will propel us. We have a lot of home games left. We're going to have to make that break. We put ourselves in position but we didn't make that break in a critical time.
 
"The guys put the effort in. It's a question of just focusing in key situations. That's what the game comes down to."
 
Both teams came out firing and produced a big first quarter with Windsor ending it up 31-26. They continued to exchange baskets throughout a tight second quarter. Orlita hit from long range to give the Lancers a 39-35 lead at the 6:13 mark. Kieran Naus and Dooley answered with back-to-back jumpers before Windsor finished strong for a 47-43 lead at the half.
 
Despite the difficult stretch, O'Rourke appreciates that his players keep grinding. And that's kept the belief alive.
 
"This team is dealing with a lot of adversity but we're together, and there's character," he said. "We're going to keep fighting. We still have a lot of opportunity ahead us to put us in a position for the playoffs and that's what we're focused on.
 
"As long as we keep knocking on the door, we'll get some Ws."
 
Guelph returns to action Wednesday, Jan. 17 against the Western Mustangs in London. Game time is 8 pm.