WINDSOR, Ont. – Consistent and complete efforts have sometimes eluded the Guelph Gryphons men's basketball team this season. But the Gryphons have kept working hard and they put together one of their best games of the year on the road in Windsor Saturday. Five players scored in double digits as Guelph beat the Lancers 84-71 at the St. Denis Centre.
The team snapped a four-game losing streak with some huge contributions from the backcourt. Second-year guard
Malcolm Glanville, second on the team in scoring at 16.5 points per game, led the Gryphons with a game-high 19 to go along with 5 rebounds and 2 steals.
Aaron Nugent added 17 points (5 of 11 from three-point range), while second-year man
Trevor Hutton scored 15 (3 of 7 from beyond the arc).
Rasheed Weekes (11 points) and
Kieran Naus each had 10 rebounds to pace Guelph.
Windsor was within six points in the third quarter after a pair of free throws from Lucas Orlita.
Gryphons men's basketball team poses with Windsor in support of Bell Let's Talk
But Glanville responded with a bucket inside, spurring a 12-0 Gryphon run that included three-pointers from
Tommy Yanchus and Naus, two of the team's 14 makes from long range.
The Gryphons started well outscoring Windsor 22-16 after the first quarter but they raised their defensive level through the second and third, allowing just 26 points combined to lead 60-42 heading into the final quarter. Guelph forced the Lancers into some difficult attempts and the hosts finished the day shooting just 33.3 per cent (25-for-75) from the floor.
Guelph held a big advantage on the glass, racking up 51 rebounds to just 33 for the Lancers (18 to 8 on the offensive boards).
The win puts the Gryphons in sole possession of fifth place in the OUA West.
The game also marked Windsor's "Bell Let's Talk Game" with both teams posing for a photo in support of mental health awareness.
Gryphon Take
"For the first three quarters of the game, we did well defensively. As our lead got bigger, they attacked us and we had a few let-ups. But it was a nice time to shoot the three-ball well, which we collectively haven't done. The balance is key, getting that many guys in double digits and spreading the scoring around. We weren't predictable. You combine that with some solid D and it was one of our better efforts. We were good on both ends of the floor. And we needed it."
– head coach Chris O'Rourke
The Record
Guelph is 7-11.
Next up
@ Algoma, Friday, Feb. 1, 8 pm
