It's tough ending the regular season on a loss and even tougher when a first-round bye was on the line.
Despite leading through most of the middle quarters, the Golden Hawks couldn't stop an extremely determined McMaster team, losing 75-70 on Saturday afternoon in Hamilton.
It was a back-and-forth first quarter, with both teams relying on their bench for scoring. Laurier's
Adnan Begovic ended the quarter with a buzzer-beating three-pointer and finished the first half with a game-leading 11 points.
The second quarter saw the Golden Hawks take the lead behind
Ali Sow's nine points. Sow finished with a game-high 24, although it was a relatively cool game in terms of shooting, as he made only seven of his 27 attempts from the field.
With such high stakes heading into the game, it's no surprise that tensions were elevated throughout. With 1:38 left in the second quarter, both Sow and McMaster's Jordan Henry were assessed technical fouls after Henry taunted Sow following a missed shot. With Laurier ahead 45-40 at halftime, both teams tightened up defensively in the third quarter. The Golden Hawks'
Majok Deng was all over the court, defending well on the perimeter and in the paint.
"It's huge. I don't even know what other word I can say other than its huge," Laurier's Manager of Basketball Operations & Head Coach
Justin Serresse said of Deng's defensive versatility after the game. With lockdown defender
KJ Massela still sidelined due to injury, having a 6-9 forward who can defend elusive guards like Jordan Henry is a massive help to the Golden Hawks.
Laurier's lead had grown to 58-51 by the time the fourth quarter started, but from there, they struggled to hold the McMaster at bay. Much like Wednesday's game in which the Golden Hawks outscored the Marauders 32-16 in the final frame, McMaster also doubled up Laurier 24-12 this afternoon, completing the comeback.
After what was an extremely physical and tightly contested game, the Marauders weren't shy in their celebrations at the final buzzer, causing both Sow and Serresse to have words with Henry and a few other Marauders who came right up to the Laurier bench. McMaster Head Coach Patrick Tatham stepped in and did a good job of smoothing over the tensions.
"Coach Patrick and I are very good friends, and I have a lot of love and respect for him," said Coach Serresse. With the win, the Marauders clinched second place in the OUA West and secured a bye through the first round of the playoffs. The Golden Hawks finish fourth at 10-6 and will host the Western Mustangs in an OUA West quarter-final.
Top Performers
Golden Hawks
F -
Ben Stevens Stevens ranks second in the OUA in rebounds per 40 minutes played. He had ten boards tonight, while also playing excellent defence, recording three blocks and two steals.
Marauders
Christian Bentley Getting good offensive production from their bench was a key to McMaster's victory, and Bentley led the way with ten points on 50% shooting, including 67% from three-point range.
Up Next
The Golden Hawks will host the Western Mustangs in an OUA West quarter-final match-up on Wednesday, March 16. Tip-off is set for 8 PM. Tickets are on sale now at
tickets.laurierathletics.com. T
he game will also be available live on OUA.tv and radiolaurier.com.
