GUELPH, Ont. - The Golden Hawks began their five-game road trip in the Royal City against their Highway 7 rivals the Guelph Gryphons. The last time these two teams met in late November, the Golden Hawks held on by three points despite holding a 14-point lead going into the fourth quarter.
This time around, the Gryphons dominated from the opening whistle and handed the Golden Hawks their second worst loss of the season, 95-70.
The teams went back-and-forth for the first four minutes of the game as neither side led by more than three. But the Gryphons turned up the heat at 7:18 and went on a 14-0 run to go up 23-10.
Isaiah Fisher was able to end that run and scored seven of Laurier's 15 first quarter points.
Laurier's ball control struggled throughout, but they found themselves some luck in the first quarter as three consecutive turnovers in the final minute only resulted in two Guelph points. Yet the Gryphons were in control up 27-15.
The Golden Hawks were able to get the deficit down to seven points off back-to-back buckets from Max Voorpool and Liban Abdalla. But turnovers continued to sink the Golden Hawks as five giveaways led to seven direct points.
If turnovers weren't hurting the team, fouls were. Despite having three personal fouls in the second quarter, they were ill-timed, sending Guelph to the line five times where the Gryphons would convert on all their attempts.
Another trend continued as well, and that was the three-point shooting. The Golden Hawks sit 10th in three-point percentage at 31.7% and shot 42.3% on Wednesday night. They had their hands full on the perimeter as the Gryphons hold the league's top three-point percentage at 35.4%, but Laurier was able to limit Guelph to shooting 8-22.
At the break, the Gryphons led 55-36.
The second half started much like the first. The Golden Hawks were unable to string scores together while the Gryphons were in their rhythm. Unlike the first quarter where Guelph struggled to convert on their steals, they connected in the third quarter.
Guelph went on a 10-0 run starting at 7:16, thanks in part to three consecutive Laurier turnovers that led to seven points.
The Golden Hawks were able to disrupt some of Guelph's flow, allowing only 17 points. However, they could not take advantage as their offensive struggles continued to mount, scoring only 13 points.
It was a foul party in the fourth quarter with the teams combining for 14 personal fouls and 20 free throw attempts, and Laurier's leading scorer at 20 points, Aidan Whalen, fouled out for the fourth straight game.
With seven games remaining, the Golden Hawks are on the outside looking in as Ontario Tech holds the tie breaker in head-to-head matchups.
