Guelph 83, Brock 80 6'2" Dan McCarthy made the go ahead layup with about 20 seconds remaining and the Gryphs got a big stop on the subsequent possession to control their own destiny for a playoff spot. With Guelph up 3, 6'1" Andrew Kraus drove the lane, finished and went to the line when 6'0" Kareem Malcolm was whistled for a foul. Kraus' free throw tied the score at 80 but then 5'11" Mike Petrella found McCarthy loose underneath and the smooth wing finished inside to allow the Gryphs to sit alone in the sixth and final playoff spot in the West. 6'4" Jonathan Moscatelli had 24 points to lead Guelph including a big 3 at the end of the third quarter that gave the Gryphs momentum entering the fourth. Brock used a 15-0 run in the third quarter to erase a five point halftime lead to take a double digit advantage of their own. But the Gryphs clamped down defensively when it mattered, forcing a tough look at the 3 by Kraus on the game's final possession in an attempt to force overtime. Kraus had 20 to lead Brock and added 5 assists but was flagged for 8 turnovers. See tiebreaker explanation below.
Windsor 77, McMaster 73 The Lancers staged a late comeback to triumph at home. The Marauders finished the second quarter on a 9-0 run to lead by 7 at 39-32 but Windsor took the lead in the fourth quarter and held on with nearly perfect free throw shooting to preserve the victory. The loss overshadowed a career-high 35 points for McMaster's 6'1" wing Kenan Etale was added 8 rebounds and shot 15 for 26 from the field before fouling out. Issac Kuon led Windsor with a fairly quiet 20 points while 6'6" Lien Philip had a 13 point/16 rebound double/double in a nice character win for the Lancers at home. Windsor travels to Guelph to complete their regular season - they will finish second while Mac finishes against Waterloo.
Laurier 77, Waterloo 64 The Golden Hawks clinched third place in the West with a win at cross-town rivals Waterloo. Laurier's shooting woes continued as they went only 2 for 22 downtown but still got 24 points from 6'5" Kale Harrison while 6'2" Sharif Wanas, getting more time lately, was a perfect 6 for 6 from the floor. 6'3" Tim Rossy had 16 to lead Waterloo which again played without 6'3" Cam McIntyre. With the loss, the Warriors are officially eliminated from the playoffs (see explanation below).
OUA West Standings
Lakehead 16-4
Windsor 15-6
Laurier 13-8
McMaster 11-10
Western 10-10
Guelph 9-12
Brock 8-13
Waterloo 8-13
Saturday's Games:
Windsor at Guelph; Gryphs win and they are in
Laurier at Brock; Brock win and Guelph loss & Waterloo loss, Badgers are in (control Guelph tiebreaker)
Waterloo at McMaster; Warriors are out but if they beat Mac and force 3 way tie, Guelph controls three-way tiebreaker.
Lakehead at Western (Friday and Saturday)
Tie-breaker scenarios:
Guelph wins on Saturday and they clinch 6th
If Guelph and Brock are tied for 6th (Waterloo must lose to McMaster), Brock wins with +7 point spread head-to-head
If Guelph loses, Brock wins and Waterloo wins, the three-way tiebreaker belongs to Guelph with a 3-1 record in games among the 3 teams.
In battle for third place, Western must win both games and have McMaster lose to Waterloo to claim fourth place and a home playoff game.
First round playoff preview:
Guelph or Brock at Laurier
McMaster vs. Western (site to be determined).
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