WATERLOO, Ont. - The Golden Hawks hosted the #3-ranked Western Mustangs for a crucial divisional matchup. While the Golden Hawks controlled through the first half, the Mustangs fought back and won in double overtime 103-98.
Western came out in zone defense, keeping the Golden Hawks to the perimeter. But they were not deterred and shot 46% from three-point range to make up for only making two buckets in the paint.
On the other end, Western dominated the glass and the paint as their 15 points came from the field. While that aspect was strong, they went 0-5 from three and 1-6 from the free throw line in the first quarter, and the Golden Hawks led 24-15.
The second quarter was much of the same for the Golden Hawks. Despite Western still getting to the rim, Laurier's perimeter defense forced nine turnovers, eight of which were steals. The home side went into the break upbig, 47-33.
However, the Mustangs responded in the second half. Laurier's shooting percentage dropped to 25% from field goal range in the third quarter.
And in the fourth, the Golden Hawks' offense collapsed, allowing Western to put up 30 points in the frame and they would take their first lead of the game with 3:20 remaining.
The Golden Hawks, who were up by as much as 20 points late in the first half, saw the Mustangs go up by seven with under a minute remaining.
Aidan Whalen forced the game to overtime when he picked up the offensive rebound and was fouled in the act of shooting, and he cashed in the three-point play.
The first overtime solved nothing as both teams scored eight points apiece. The Mustangs outlasted the Golden Hawks in the second extra frame as Liban Abdalla scored all but one of Laurier's six points. The Golden Hawks were missing Whalen, who fouled out at the end of regulation, and Julien Binzangi also fouled out. Their absence hurt the Golden Hawks on the glass and in the paint.
"We hung with Western, but we couldn't get it done," head coach and manager of men's basketball operations Cavell Johnson said.
"The most frustrating part of it was that we were in control of the momentum, the flow of the game, but we didn't play with a see-it-through mentality."
"We expected them to play zone all game, but I didn't expect us to not execute certain aspects of our game plan that was in place to help us attack, and that was very frustrating."
Johnson did tip his cap to his team, saying, "All that being said, I'll give it to our guys for showing some fight to get back in the game and push it to double overtime."
