Laurier Athletics - Waterloo Campus

WATERLOO, Ont. - Laurier battled back from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit but couldn't complete the comeback, falling 83-77 to the McMaster Marauders on Friday night at the Laurier Athletic Complex.

Joshua Loblaw's end-to-end physical layup and the foul for the three-point play brought Laurier within one with 50 seconds remaining, but McMaster's Shakir Yakubu answered with a three-pointer on the next possession to help McMaster secure the victory.  

The Golden Hawks returned home looking to rebound after three consecutive road losses, while the Marauders entered seeking to end a two-game skid. Tonight's result moved Laurier to 1-4 and McMaster to 2-2. 

Maxwell Voorpool led Laurier with 17 points, while Isaiah Fisher contributed 15 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Romell Russell provided a spark off the bench with 12 points, Joshua Loblaw added 11, and Emanuel Liyaw finished with 10. 

Laurier took time to settle in offensively, falling behind 10-4 before its bench helped turn the opening quarter around. 

Russell knocked down a three-pointer and then found Liyaw for another from beyond the arc to tie the game at 10-10. Fisher followed with a left-handed finish as the shot clock wound down, giving the Golden Hawks their first lead of the game. 

Laurier continued to build momentum through contributions from several players. Loblaw connected with a rolling Liyaw for a basket inside, while Russell turned a steal into a fast-break layup. Ryan Rudnick added points at the free-throw line before another Liyaw three-pointer, and a Russell free throw helped Laurier close the quarter ahead 25-15. 

McMaster opened the second with six unanswered points, cutting the lead to four before Loblaw stopped the run with a jumper in the key. 

Fisher helped Laurier regain control, collecting an offensive rebound and drawing a foul before converting both free throws. He then connected from three-point range off a Loblaw pass, while Rudnick added two more free throws to restore the double-digit lead. 

Russell continued to make an impact late in the half, finishing inside and adding a jumper to help send the Golden Hawks into the break leading 38-28. 

Laurier's bench supplied 23 first-half points, with Russell scoring 10. Fisher added seven points and six rebounds, while McMaster struggled from beyond the arc, making just one of its first 18 three-point attempts. 

Kailon Nicholls opened the third quarter with a three-point play, beginning a 13-0 McMaster run that erased Laurier's lead. The Golden Hawks were held scoreless for more than four minutes as the Marauders moved ahead 41-38. 

Voorpool ended the drought with a driving layup before connecting from three-point range to tie the game at 43-43. McMaster answered through Nicholls and Elijah Bethune and continued to build its offence through finishes inside and trips to the line. 

Loblaw kept Laurier close with three third-quarter layups, including one that cut the deficit to 55-53 late in the quarter. The Marauders responded with the final four points of the quarter to take a 59-53 lead into the fourth, outscoring Laurier 31-15 in the quarter. 

McMaster extended its lead early in the final quarter with a Bethune layup and a Riley Bleich dunk. Voorpool answered with a three-pointer, and Liyaw added a putback, but the visitors eventually pushed their lead to 69-58. 

Fisher helped lead Laurier's response, converting two three-point plays off physical layups to keep the Golden Hawks within reach. He then intercepted a pass and pushed the ball ahead to Russell for a layup, cutting the margin to 71-67. 

Laurier continued to turn defensive stops into opportunities. Rudnick blocked a shot, Russell collected the rebound and found Fisher for a basket in transition. Rudnick then finished a Voorpool pass inside to bring the Golden Hawks within 72-71 with just over three minutes remaining. 

The teams traded baskets down the stretch, with Voorpool's finish in the paint again cutting the deficit to one. McMaster maintained its narrow lead until Loblaw drove to the basket, finished through contact and converted the free throw to make it 78-77. 

Yakubu delivered a game-defining response, knocking down a three-pointer with 32 seconds remaining. Laurier could not convert its late attempts from beyond the arc, and McMaster added two free throws to close out the game. 

Nicholls led the Marauders with 17 points and four assists. Bethune and James Kelly each added 13 points, while Yakubu finished with 12. Riaz Saliu collected a game-high 10 rebounds. 

McMaster held a 41-29 rebounding advantage and scored 50 points in the paint. Laurier received 29 points from its bench but finished shooting 39.4 percent from the field and 19-for-28 at the free-throw line. 

Head coach Cavell Johnson pointed to Laurier's third-quarter struggles after the loss. 

"We didn't have a good third quarter, offensively or defensively … and McMaster was gaining confidence, and we just were not executing anything." 

Johnson praised Isaiah Fisher's performance, saying, "He's always ready to fight, always ready to compete at a high level." 

Looking ahead to Saturday's matchup against the undefeated Carleton Ravens, Johnson said the Golden Hawks need to "play with more urgency." 

Up next: 

The Golden Hawks remain home to face the unbeaten #3-ranked Carleton Ravens (4-0) on Saturday, November 7.

Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. inside the Laurier Athletic Complex, with tickets available at tickets.laurierathletics.com

Subscribers can also stream the game live on OUA.tv

  Read Full Article