Some Final Four Early Week Media Links

Hoping for Deja Vu (TbNewswatch Preview)

Looking Out for #1 (Chronicle Journal Preview)

Thomson Out for Final Four (TbNewswatch)

'Wolves Prepare for Familiar Foe (Chronicle Journal)

J.J. Jones - Local Good Samaritan (The Argus)

Final Four Bound (Tbnewswatch)

'Wolves Advance With Victory over McMaster (Chronicle Journal)

'Wolves Win - Head to 3rd Consecutive OUA FInal Four

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February 23, 2013

Lakehead Lives Once More, Headed to Wilson Cup Final Four

THUNDER BAY, ON -

The men's basketball team overcame an atrocious start to the game to recover against a very hard nosed and talented McMaster team, winning 81-76 on Saturday night in front of a capacity Thunderdome crowd.

McMaster opened up the game on an 11-2 run, before coach Scott Morrison brought in some bench players to switch things up. The move worked out well, with Nathan Wainwright coming off the bench to hit a big three-pointer, and reserve forward Joseph Nitychoruk putting in 6 first half points. The bench stemmed the tide in the first quarter, getting the McMaster lead down to 19-16 after 10 minutes. McMaster came right back in the second Q, out-scoring the T-Wolves 20-11 in the quarter to lead 39-27 at halftime. Marauder big man Taylor Black had a fantastic first half, going 6-8 from the field and 5-5 on the charity stripe for 19 points. He would finish with a game-high 29 points and 7 rebounds (10-16 FG, 4-5 3FG, 5-5 FT). Black was also the reason McMaster stayed as close as they did down the stretch, playing a beautiful two-man game with his point guard Aaron Redpath a-la pick-and-roll.

With their fate hanging in the balance, the Thunderwolves came out of the gate in the second half with a purpose in mind. Dwayne Harvey (Hamilton, ON) and Greg Carter (Ottawa, ON) turned up the D and Lakehead rolled off 6 unanswered points to begin the second half. Harvey's production came mostly off penetration to the basket, while Carter was up to his usual tricks, pressuring the opposing point guard, and creating turnovers for uncontested layups. Carter came close to a triple double with 12 points, 9 steals and 9 assists to lead the T-Wolves.

Lakehead did its damage in the 3rd quarter, out-scoring McMaster 22-10, as the Marauders' offense struggled to recoup its previous swagger. Lakehead took its first lead of the game with the score 43-42. The fourth quarter was a shoot-out, with Lakehead putting up 32 points to McMaster's 27. Lakehead got key three-pointers from Ben Johnson (Pictou, NS), Dwayne Harvey  and Ryan Thomson down the stretch to keep the Marauders at bay. Johnson finished with 13 points and 6 rebounds while Harvey led the 'Wolves with 17 points, 5 assists and 3 boards on 7-of-9 shooting. Thomson finished with 8 points and 5 assists. Joseph Jones brought the energy as usual, scoring 9 in 15 minutes of play. Lakehead shot 6-of-9 from behind the arc in the second half, after going 3-of10 in the first.

Rounding out the scoring for the Marauders was Aaron Redpath with 16 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds while Nathan Pelech had 10 points of his own. Joe Rocca went 3-of-11 from the field for 9 points.

Both teams shot an identical 29-of-65 from the field (44.6%), with Lakehead holding a slight edge on the glass (29-26).

Coach Scott Morrison:

"Over the years, this group of players has made a name for themselves with gritty comebacks just like the one we saw tonight.  I have to give credit to our assistant coaches who came up with some excellent half-time adjustments in addition to our entire team  - each man gave his all this week. McMaster played well without one of their top players [Adam Presutti] and guys like Taylor Black and Nathan Pelech really stepped up their game with excellent performances."

Morrison concludes, "It was a classic, patented win for this group of seniors to finish their home careers. Thank you to the enormous crowd we had tonight...  They were lined up out the doors an hour before the game and lined up in the parking lot an hour afterwards, it is an honor to play and coach for this school and we will do everything we can to make our supporters just as proud next week."

With the win the Lakehead men advance to the Wilson Cup Final Four, hosted by Ryerson University at the newly renovated Mattamy Athletic Centre (former Maple Leaf Gardens), next weekend on Friday and Saturday.

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Hugh Mullally

Sports Information Director

Lakehead University Athletics

Office: 807 766 7157

Fax: (807) 343-8203 

'Wolves Host McMaster in OUA Quarter-Final Action

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February 21, 2013

McMaster Enters Thunderdome in Playoff Bout vs. Thunderwolves

THUNDER BAY, ON -

The men's basketball team (14-7) will face the McMaster Marauders (14-8) on Saturday evening (7pm) in the Thunderdome. The Marauders made it through round 1 of the playoffs with a win over Waterloo Wednesday night, while the Thunderwolves enjoyed a first round bye. The winner will advance to the OUA Final Four next weekend in Toronto.

Saturday's contest marks the third time these teams have played each other in just 8 days, with Lakehead splitting last weekend in Hamilton against the Marauders (W 78-75, L 92-82).

This Saturday, Lakehead defenders must be prepared to shut down Marauder shooters, particularly leading scorer Joe Rocca, who in Wednesday's playoff game against Waterloo was 6-of-11 from downtown and scored a total 27 points. Rocca totaled 20 points over both games played against Lakehead last weekend in Hamilton.

Other McMaster weapons include guards Adam Presutti and Aaron Redpath, along with big men Nathan Pelech and Taylor Black.

For the Thunderwolves, Yoosrie Salhia goes to back work in the paint, after sitting out the second game against McMaster for some extra rest. Joseph Jones will also return to the lineup after missing last weekend's games due to personal reasons.

For Salhia, Jones, and 4 other graduating seniors (Greg Carter, Ben Johnson, Matthew Schmidt and Brendan King) - Saturday's game will be their last in the Thunderdome, as this group tries to extend their season to reach the OUA Final Four, and if successful there, to a 4th consecutive CIS Final 8 tournament.

Coach Scott Morrison:

"After splitting two close games last weekend in Hamilton, we expect nothing short of a nail biter this weekend. We are working hard to improve on some areas of weakness [from] last weekend and attempting to balance a competitive week with some extra rest. McMaster is a well balanced team with a number of guys who can light it up on any given night, our emphasis will be on forcing them to take tough shots each time down the court."

Game time is 7 pm - Saturday, Feb 23.

Webcast will be available via SSN Canada

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Hugh Mullally

Sports Information Director

Lakehead University Athletics

Office: 807 766 7157

Fax: (807) 343-8203 

LU Finishes OUA Season in 2nd - Host Winner of Mac-Waterloo Feb 23rd

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February 16, 2013

Nitychoruk Puts Up Career High, T-Wolves Lose 92-82

THUNDER BAY, ON -

In a game that was inconsequential to playoff seedings, the men's basketball team dropped a 92-82 decision to the McMaster Marauders.

As the game began it was clear that it would be a battle of the benches, with Lakehead coach Scott Morrison deciding to rest 5th year senior Yoosrie Salhia, who sat in street clothes on the bench.

Be that as it may, both teams fought hard down the stretch for the win. Lakehead trailed by 10, 28-18 after the first quarter in which McMaster graduating senior Nathan Pelech scored 8 of his 10 total points. McMaster brought a 45-38 lead into the locker room at the break.

Things would remain fairly even from there on out, with both teams trading baskets in the fourth quarter and McMaster holding on for the victory on their 'Seniors Night'.

Joey Nitychoruk was the leading scorer for Lakehead, putting up a career-high 18 points with 4 rebounds and 3 steals in 21 minutes of play. Four other T-Wolves reached double digits, with Joe Hart and Greg Carter putting up 11 each, and Matthew Schmidt and Ryan Thomson scoring 10 points each. Carter finished with a game-high 5 assists.

McMaster was led by Aaron Redpath with 20 points (9-10 FT), and Adam Presutti scored 15.

Lakehead shot 6-26 (23%) from three, compared to McMaster's 6-19 (32%). Strangely enough, Lakehead took the loss despite shooting 29-41 (71%) from within the arc. The real difference maker was the disparity in free throws, with Lakehead attempting 15 (hitting only 6) to McMaster's 34 (hitting 28).

Coach Scott Morrison:

"It was great to get our bench guys some extended minutes and experience tonight as the game did not affect final standings. I thought we lost the game with our poor start in the first quarter and it's tough to beat a team when they shoot 20 more free throws over 40 minutes. Both teams played hard tonight and now are prepared for the post season."

The men will now advance to the 2nd playoff round thanks to a first round bye. If McMaster (#3) defeats Waterloo (#6) in the first round (Wednesday, Feb 20), they will play Lakehead for the third time in a week, this time in the Thunderdome on Saturday Feb 20.

Box Score

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Hugh Mullally

Sports Information Director

Lakehead University Athletics

Office: 807 766 7157

Fax: (807) 343-8203 

Big Win Clinches #2 Seed For 'Wolves

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February 15, 2013

Thunderwolves Clinch #2 Seed with 78-75 Win

HAMILTON, ON -

The men's basketball team managed a 78-75 comeback win over the McMaster Marauders on Friday evening.

Lakehead made their push in the final quarter after trailing 45-41 at halftime, and 60-54 heading into the final quarter. A 24-15 effort in the final quarter would seal the deal, with Lakehead tying the game at 69 on a Ben Johnson 3-pointer with under 4 minutes to play. Following that both teams would exchange singular made free throws, tied 70-70 with under 2 minutes to play.

On the subsequent play Ryan Thomson missed a three pointer, and with the rebound heading out of bounds Greg Carter would dive past a Marauder and play the ball of him and out of bounds, giving Lakehead possession and a fresh shot clock. Carter would score 'and-1' on the subsequent play, but miss the free throw. After Lakehead took a 2-point lead, Adam Presutti would hit a straight-away bank three pointer to give the home side a 1-point lead with 15 seconds remaining.

Ryan Thomson's number was called on the following play, and he scored 2 of his game-high 22 points on a post up feed from Yoosrie Salhia for a 1-point Lakehead advantage. Following a McMaster time out and a failed play to throw a lob to Rohan Boney, McMaster fouled and Ben Johnson who hit 2 free throws for a 3-point lead, which held true following a last-ditch McMaster effort that missed.

Ben Johnson finished with 19 points (5-9 threes) with 5 rebounds, followed by Dwayne Harvey with 18 points, 4 steals and 4 rebounds, which included a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the first half. Yoosrie Salhia struggled with foul trouble for most of the game, finishing with a season-low 5 point, 5 rebound night with 3 assists in 24 minutes of play. Greg Carter was a defensive force with 6 steals to go with 6 assists and 6 points.

For McMaster, Nathan McCarthy had a team-high 21 points with a game-high 9 rebounds (8 offensive). Joe Rocca had 11, Adam Presutti and Aaron Redpath scored 10 apiece. 

McMaster held a 38-30 advantage on the glass. Lakehaed's biggest advantage was in 3-point shooting, hitting 11-of-24 (46%) to McMaster's 6-21 (29%).

Coach Scott Morrison:

"It was an old fashioned gut-check kind of win tonight. Mac beat us in the first half with excellent ball movement and rebounding. I was proud of our toughness in the second half and also our execution down the stretch. It was a big win for our team that we can enjoy tonight before getting back to business."

__

The two teams will rematch tomorrow evening at 8pm in the final game of the regular season, which has no bearing on final standings for either team.

With the win, Lakehead clinches the #2 seed in the OUA-West, and thus a first-round bye in the playoffs. Their next (and final) home game will be on Saturday, February 23 in Round 2 of the playoffs against an opponent to be determined from Round 1 (Wed, Feb 20).

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Hugh Mullally

Sports Information Director

Lakehead University Athletics

Office: 807 766 7157

Fax: (807) 343-8203 

Lakehead Finishes Regular Season in Hamilton

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February 14, 2013

T-Wolves Visit Marauders for Regular Season Finales

THUNDER BAY, ON -

The basketball teams will finish their regular seasons in Hamilton this weekend against the McMaster Marauders. Both the men and women's teams have a lot riding on the outcome of the games, with the Women trying to lock up a playoff spot, and the Men intent on securing an OUA-West #2 seed, and thus a first round bye in the playoffs.

Women (7-12, OUA-W #6)

With 2 games remaining, the women need to win 1 to secure the 6th and final playoff spot, as they are 1 game ahead of Guelph, who holds the tie breaker over Lakehead. The T-Wolves will have their work cut out for them against a McMaster team (10-9) that won both games last season (73-44 and 74-57) in the Thunderdome.

The Marauders are led this year by Hailey Milligan (15.4 PPG, 11.3 RPG) and Danielle Boiago (14.5 PPG), and as a team shoot the most free throws per game (22.3) in the CIS, although connecting on only 68% of them.

Men (13-6, OUA-W #2, CIS #8)

In the wake of being denied the top seed by Windsor last week, the T-Wolves must keep the pedal to the floor to stay ahead of McMaster (12-7), who trails them by 1 game in the standings. Bearing that in mind, Lakehead need only win 1 game this weekend to secure the #2 seed.

McMaster has won 5 games straight, each by 19+ points, dating back to a 80-73 loss in Windsor on Jan 23. Their top scorers are Joe Rocca (15.2 PPG) and Taylor Black (15.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG), and McMaster shoots among the best in the country from the field (45.1% FG, 36.1% 3FG). 

Coach Scott Morrison:

"Everyone knows these are big games this weekend in Hamilton, and for that reason there should be no doubt about the focus of each team heading into Friday night.  We are looking to continue our season-long goal of improving each weekend in hopes of saving our best ball for this time of year.  McMaster plays an excellent team game and is one of the top rebounding teams in the country. I think both teams match-up well and we should expect to see two excellent ball games."


Webcast Coverage Available via Marauders TV

Game times Friday and Saturday are 6pm (women) and 8pm (men).

Senior Night Wrap Up

For those supporters, friends, family and alumni who were not able to be in Thunder Bay on Saturday February 9th for "Senior Night 2013", please see below to get caught up with what went down.

The Thunderdome filled to celebrate the excellent careers of six graduating team members.
Much has been made about these young men so we will will leave it at that and include the links below for those interested.

5 Minute Highlight Video of Senior Night 2013 (In Case You Missed It)

The On Paper 'Scripts' Read Aloud for Each Graduating Player (For the Record)

'Wolves Finish With Split vs. Windsor on Senior Night

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February 9, 2013

Lancers Frustrate T-Wolves, Win 64-56

THUNDER BAY, ON -

The men's basketball team struggled to find their shooting touch against a hard-nosed Windsor defense, losing 64-56 on Saturday evening.

Windsor fought hard from the get go to avenge their loss the previous evening, holding a 20-18 edge after 10 minutes of play. In the second quarter, the T-Wolves' offensive output was severely limited, scoring only 8 points to the Lancers 16.

Halftime score was 36-26 Lancers. 

In the third, Lakehead got their offense running again, with a string of plays including a Ryan Thomson 3, followed by a Yoosria Salhia blocked shot and Greg Carter transition lay-up to close the gap to 38-33. That momentum would be snuffed out by the Lancers, but not responded to on the offensive end as Lakehead out-scored the Lancers 10-7 in the 3rd Q.

In the final quarter the Lancers would hit clutch three pointers, courtesy of Enrico Diloreto and Michael Petrella, the second of which came with under 2 minutes to play to give the Lancers a 63-56 lead and effectively terminating any Lakehead comeback.

Lakehead was led by Yoosrie Salhia with 16 points and 15 rebounds, followed by Matt Schmidt with 14, who shot a perfect 4-4 from downtown and grabbed 7 rebounds. Ryan Thomson added 10 points in the loss.

Top scorer for the Lancers was Diloreto with 22, while Lien Phillip scored 8 points with 11 rebounds.

Coach Scott Morrison:

"Windsor played tough tonight. They got exactly what they wanted from their full court pressure in the form of turnovers and indecision from our backcourt. I was pleased with our effort but our execution did not match Friday's results. It's all about next week right now and working hard to get one more W."

_

Prior to the game Lakehead honoured it's 6 graduating seniors, Ben Johnson, Yoosrie Salhia, Brendan King, Greg Carter, Matt Schmidt and Joseph Jones. They were all presented with framed jerseys.

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Hugh Mullally

Sports Information Director

Lakehead University Athletics

Office: 807 766 7157

Fax: (807) 343-8203 

'Wolves Finish With Split vs. Windsor - Final Conference Games @ McMaster This Weekend

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February 9, 2013

Lancers Frustrate T-Wolves, Win 64-56

THUNDER BAY, ON -

The men's basketball team struggled to find their shooting touch against a hard-nosed Windsor defense, losing 64-56 on Saturday evening.

Windsor fought hard from the get go to avenge their loss the previous evening, holding a 20-18 edge after 10 minutes of play. In the second quarter, the T-Wolves' offensive output was severely limited, scoring only 8 points to the Lancers 16.

Halftime score was 36-26 Lancers. 

In the third, Lakehead got their offense running again, with a string of plays including a Ryan Thomson 3, followed by a Yoosria Salhia blocked shot and Greg Carter transition lay-up to close the gap to 38-33. That momentum would be snuffed out by the Lancers, but not responded to on the offensive end as Lakehead out-scored the Lancers 10-7 in the 3rd Q.

In the final quarter the Lancers would hit clutch three pointers, courtesy of Enrico Diloreto and Michael Petrella, the second of which came with under 2 minutes to play to give the Lancers a 63-56 lead and effectively terminating any Lakehead comeback.

Lakehead was led by Yoosrie Salhia with 16 points and 15 rebounds, followed by Matt Schmidt with 14, who shot a perfect 4-4 from downtown and grabbed 7 rebounds. Ryan Thomson added 10 points in the loss.

Top scorer for the Lancers was Diloreto with 22, while Lien Phillip scored 8 points with 11 rebounds.

Coach Scott Morrison:

"Windsor played tough tonight. They got exactly what they wanted from their full court pressure in the form of turnovers and indecision from our backcourt. I was pleased with our effort but our execution did not match Friday's results. It's all about next week right now and working hard to get one more W."

_

Prior to the game Lakehead honoured it's 6 graduating seniors, Ben Johnson, Yoosrie Salhia, Brendan King, Greg Carter, Matt Schmidt and Joseph Jones. They were all presented with framed jerseys.

--

Hugh Mullally

Sports Information Director

Lakehead University Athletics

Office: 807 766 7157

Fax: (807) 343-8203 

#10 'Wolves Take Game 1 Over #4 Windsor

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February 8, 2013

T-Wolves Prevail Over Lancers, 70-64

THUNDER BAY, ON -

The men's basketball team protected home turf on Friday evening, handing the Windsor Lancers a 70-64 loss in front of a capacity crowd in the Thunderdome, and 260+ more watching online. In a battle of the top two teams in the OUA West, Lakehead got the job done with hustle and a desire to re-assert themselves as a contender in the CIS, having the #4 ranked team in the nation on their court. 

The Lancers wold not go down easily, however, battling from the tip to lead 17-15 after the first quarter. The T-Wolves closed out the first half strong to lead 36-30 at the break. 

Lakehead would open up a 10-point lead in the third quarter, but Windsor refused to go away, battling back to come within 2 points of the T-Wolves in the final minutes of the 4th quarter.

In a game that saw great dunks, impressive shots and sweat poured out by the gallon, the show was stolen by the rebounding of Yoosrie Salhia, who pulled down a total of 15 boards to go with 13 points. With Lakehead clutching to a lead with under 2 minutes to go, Salhia fought off three Windsor Lancers to secure an offensive rebound, reset the shot clock, and provide a steadying force for Lakehead to close out the game.

Top scorer for Lakehead was Ryan Thomson with 17 points and 5 rebounds. Ben Johnson added 11, including a clutch floater in the lane in crunch time.

For Windsor, Lien Philip had 13 points to go with 7 rebounds. Ismar Seferagic had 9 points.

Lakehead out-rebounded Windsor 43-35.

Coach Scott Morrison:

"It was an exciting ball game tonight from a fan's perspective and from a coach's perspective I am pleased with the effort and toughness our guys showed tonight.

We knew rebounding would be a key factor and I was pleased with our second chance efforts on the glass and the collective team effort as 11 different guys picked up a board tonight.  Windsor hurt us with their full court pressure and that will be one of the first things we can look to for improvement tomorrow.  Should be another dogfight tomorow night."

The two teams will rematch tomorrow at 8pm in a game that will determine who will take top spot in the OUA West. It will also be Seniors Night, as the Thunderwolves will see 6 players in their final regular season home game - Yoosrie Salhia, Greg Carter, Matt Schmidt, Brendan King, Joseph Jones and Ben Johnson.

Webcast will be available via SSN Canada. Audio broadcast available via CILU Radio, 102.7 FM, www.luradio.ca

--

Hugh Mullally

Sports Information Director

Lakehead University Athletics

Office: 807 766 7157

Fax: (807) 343-8203 

2013 Senior Night Features OUA West Weekend Showdown

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February 6, 2013

Windsor Lancers Enter Thunderdome for Seniors' Night Battle

THUNDER BAY, ON -

The Windsor Lancers visit the Thunderdome this weekend for a duo of double headers against the men's and women's teams. Saturday night's games will mark Seniors' Night, as the women's team will have 1 player (Carolyn Fragale) and the men's team 6 players (Greg Carter, Yoosrie Salhia, Matt Schmidt, Brendan King, Joseph Jones and Ben Johnson) playing their final regular season games in the Thunderdome.

CLICK HERE FOR BACK COURT CLUB "THANK YOU" TO OUR 6 SENIORS

(CLICK HERE FOR BRIEF GRADUATING PLAYER PROFILE)

Men (12-5, 2nd place OUA-W, CIS #10)

After many questions were raised following the first semester as to Thunderwolves' knack to hang with the best in the country, the T-Wolves' efforts to answer those have begun to resonate around the CIS, with Lakehead returning to the Top 10 this week at #10. They will face a Windsor team (14-3) that has enjoyed CIS Top 10 rankings the majority of the season, and currently sits in the #4 spot. More importantly, Windsor sits in atop the OUA West, 2 games ahead of Lakehead, who with two wins this weekend could take first place in the OUA West for the first time this season.

To do so they will have to deal with a tough Lancer lineup, led by center Lien Phillip (14.9 PPG, 10.4 RPG), who leads the OUA in total rebounds (5 ahead of T-Wolf Yoosrie Salhia). Add to that shooting guard Enrico Diloreto's 14.4 PPG and point guard Josh Collins' 4.4 assists per game, and Thunderwolf fans can look forward to a multitude of match-up battles for Lakehead's senior players.

Coach Scott Morrison:

"After a good start to the semester, this weekend represents the ultimate test to see if we have indeed progressed since a tough first semester. Windsor is as close to a division 1 type lineup that we have seen since Carleton back in November. We will have to execute our game plan and attempt to contain the excellent 1 on 1 players that Windsor puts on the court at every position."

Webcast Coverage will be available via SSN Canada. Audio broadcast available via CILU Radio, 102.7FM andwww.luradio.ca

Fri, Feb 8 & Sat Feb 9

Women - 6pm

Men - 8pm

'Wolves Complete Sweep of Guelph - Host Windsor Next Week

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February 2, 2013

Men's Basketball Sweep Gryphons With 79-66 Win

GUELPH, ON -

With a 79-66 win on Saturday evening, the men's basketball team (12-5) secured the weekend sweep over the Guelph Gryphons. The T-Wolves are now 9-1 in 2013.

Lakehead jumped out to a 25-13 lead after the first quarter. Following that, the two teams would exchange scoring runs, but Lakehead would maintain a 10-point cushion for the remainder of the game, thanks to tough defensive play and an incredibly efficient shooting performance by Ryan Thomson.

Thomson continued his scoring streak against the Guelph team, this time scoring 22 points on a near perfect shooting night, going 8-of-9 from the field (4-4 from three), hitting both of his free throws and grabbing 5 rebounds. Ben Johnson hit 2 threes en route to a 10-point, 5 rebound performance.

Yoosrie Salhia scored 10 and grabbed 11 rebounds (5 offensive) as he continues his crusade for the OUA rebounding crown (currently sitting in 2nd with 172, 5 back of Windsor's Lien Phillip). Salhia added 3 steals and 2 blocked shots in 29 minutes of play.

Three other Thunderwolves scored 9 points, led by Greg Carter who also dropped 5 dimes in the contest, along with Joe Hart (Southend, UK) and Matthew Schmidt (Thunder Bay, ON).

Guelph was led by Ahmed Haroon with 19 points and 6 rebounds. Dan McCarthy scored 17 while Jack Beatty chipped in 11.

Lakehead out-rebounded Guelph 33-16, in a game that saw both teams shoot well from the floor (Lakehead 49%, Guelph 47%).

Coach Scott Morrison:

"It was a great character win tonight against a Guelph team that did not back down and kept coming at us. I was proud of our guys who battled over 40 minutes including several hustle plays that will likely remain with us this week in the form of floor burns. Now it is time to rest up and get ready for the "fun" stuff as we have to consider the playoffs starting next week."

The men face the Windsor Lancers (14-3, OUA West #1, CIS #4) in the Thunder Dome next weekend in a series that will see the top 2 teams in the OUA West face off in a marquis match-up that Thunder Bay's basketball faithful have long been awaiting.

Saturday night's game will be Seniors Night. The Thunderwolves will see the final regular season games played by 6 graduating members of the men's team, as well as 1 graduating member of the women's team.