WINDSOR, Ont. – It's been a challenge for the young Guelph Gryphons women's basketball team to find the same gear that propelled them to a surprising OUA playoff berth in 2018. Guelph has showcased its talent the odd time but injuries and inconsistency have taken a toll. The Gryphons fell 85-70 on the road to the Windsor Lancers Saturday night, their third consecutive loss and seventh in the last 10 games.
 
Second-year guard Burke Bechard registered an impressive double-double with a team-high 16 points (7 of 11 from the field) and a game-high 15 rebounds. Modupe Okeowo, the reigning Gryphon Female Athlete of the Week, was reliable again scoring 15 points with 5 boards, while Hanna Pryce chipped in 12 points.

Rookie guard Natalie Vigna made an impact for the second consecutive game, scoring 8 points (2 of three from long range) in 31 minutes of action.
 
Guelph was down two starters with fourth-year veterans Sarah Holmes and Ivana Vujadinovic out with injury. But that didn't stop the visitors from getting off to a good start as they won the first quarter 21-18. Unfortunately for a team in search of consistency, it was downhill after that. The Gryphons were held to 11 points in a second quarter that featured a 10-0 Windsor run and the hosts then built on their 8-point halftime lead with a 10-3 run to start the third quarter.
 
Guelph's identity in 2017/18 was a team that was difficult to play against but that's been difficult to replicate and it certainly wasn't the case at the St. Denis Centre. Kayah Clarke led the Lancers with 18 points, one of four players in double digits.

The hosts had an easy time making baskets, scoring 50 of their 85 points in the paint, while finishing the night shooting 44.6 per cent from the field. Guelph wasn't nearly as sharp, committing 15 turnovers and hitting just 12 of 20 free throws.
 
The Gryphons sit seventh in the OUA West with 10 points. Windsor is now riding a division-best five-game win streak and remain comfortably in third place with 24 points. Saturday night's matchup in Windsor was the Lancers' Bell Let's Talk game, with both teams getting together to pose for a photo pre-game in support of mental health awareness.
  
Gryphon Take
"That's what happens when we were undermanned like we were. Windsor got so many points in the paint and it was mostly guards running off screens. We didn't do a good enough job getting off those screens and in front of the ball. It was a lack of experience. We just didn't make plays when we had to plays and we didn't make stops when we had to make stops. We don't have that identity. We start to establish it and someone gets hurt. Right now, they don't have a character as a team. We're running out of season so we better find something out."
 
"There were some positives. Natalie Vigna played well. A rookie coming in like she did, she made a contribution. So did Ashley White." – head coach Mark Walton
 
The Record
Guelph is 5-13
 
Next up
@ Algoma, Friday, Feb 1, 6 pm