WATERLOO, Ont. -In a tightly contested match-up, the Western Mustangs outlasted the Golden Hawks 68-65 in a nail-biting finish on Friday night at the Laurier Athletic Complex Gym.

The game featured strong shooting performances, defensive battles, and clutch plays down the stretch between the division rivals.

Laurier struck first with a three-pointer from Kate White, but Western quickly responded with strong play from Jenna Button and Avarie Thomas.

Button's fastbreak layup, and Thomas' free throws, fueled Western's momentum. A three from Paris Alexander pushed their lead to 7-3.

Laurier battled back with Cassidy Hirtle scoring inside, but Western capitalized on turnovers, with Annie Balfe and Sarah Harvey contributing.

By the end of the first, Western led 19-12.

In the second quarter, Laurier looked to close the gap, with Keira Aikman and Isabella Cotton finding success inside.

However, Button and Thomas knocked down threes to keep Western in control while Laurier struggled from deep, going 0 for 7 in the quarter and just 1 for 10 over the first half.

At halftime, the Mustangs held a 37-24 advantage after leading by as much as 18 at one point.

Western started the third quarter strong, with another three from Button extending the lead to 40-24.

Laurier fought back, with White and Hirtle leading a rally.

A three-pointer from Dylann Mazzuchin and free throws from White helped cut the deficit.

Thomas continued to be a threat from deep, knocking down crucial shots, but Laurier kept clawing back.

A late fast-break layup by Brittyn Graves pulled Laurier within single digits.

By the end of the third, Western held a slimmer 55-47 lead.

Laurier made a strong push in the fourth quarter, with White and Hirtle making key shots.

Free throws from Graves and a jumper from Mazzuchin gave Laurier its first lead at 61-58 with just over three minutes remaining.

The two teams traded baskets, with Button (who ultimately finished with a game-high 27 points) hitting a clutch three-pointer to tie it at 61-61.

After a series of fouls and free throws, the game remained tied at 63-63 with just over a minute to play.

In the final moments, Thomas drilled a massive three-pointer - her fourth of the night - to give Western a 66-63 lead with 23 seconds left.

Laurier answered with a quick layup from Campbell, cutting the deficit to one.

However, Reimer knocked down two crucial free throws with four seconds remaining to secure the win for Western.

The final stat line saw White having recorded her second double-double of the season (15 points, 10 rebounds) while Cassidy Hirtle matched her team-high 15 points.

After the game, Laurier's manager of women's basketball operations and head coach Paul Falco called the first half "the poorest half we've played this season."

"We weren't ready to go, and it showed in our decision-making, shooting, and finishing."

However, he was encouraged by the second-half response.

"We took a deep breath at halftime and got back to the style of basketball we wanted to play," he said.

A key adjustment was trusting open shots, which the team focused on during the break.

Despite the loss, Falco praised his team's ability to handle Western's pressure.

"We did a good job breaking their press and only gave up one offensive rebound," he noted.

Looking ahead to Saturday's game against Waterloo, he emphasized the importance of opening strong.

"We need to be ready from the start and match their physicality."
 

Up Next

The Laurier Golden Hawks (8-9) take on the University of Waterloo (7-10) in their final Battle of Waterloo match-up on Saturday, February 1.

Tip-off is at 6 pm and can be seen live on OUA.tv.

Follow @WLUAthletics on X for live updates too.