In the face of a closely contested initial half, the York University Lions men's basketball team suffered a 79-68 loss at the hands of the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks on a Friday night in Oshawa, Ont. 

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The opening quarter saw a closely contested battle between the two teams. Ayub Nurhussien's layup for Ontario Tech and Liam Rietschin's dunk for York set the tone early on. The Lions maintained a slim lead, with Joshua Noton's free throws giving them an 8-6 edge. However, the Ridgebacks fought back, and by the end of the quarter, Ontario Tech secured a narrow 21-14 advantage.
• The Lions sprinted off to a 9-2 run early in the second frame to tie the game at 23 apiece off an Elias Panagiotopoulos three-point shot, and forcing a Ridgeback's timeout. The Lions continued to apply pressure, outshooting the Ridgebacks 21-16 in the frame. However, a series of turnovers characterized the later part of the quarter, with Ontario Tech ultimately holding onto a 37-35 edge at halftime.
• The third frame commenced with a tight back-and-forth encounter, with the game tied at 45. However, the Lions faced challenges in maintaining offensive consistency, allowing the Ridgebacks to embark on a 14-4 run. This surge propelled the Ridgebacks to establish a 62-49 lead after three.   
• Despite a combined 13-point effort by Evan Shadkami and Joshua Noton, the Lions were unable to claw their way back into the contest, as the Ridgebacks continued to ride their 11-point advantage, en route to a 79-68 victory. 

LOOKING AHEAD:

The Lions will look to regroup and wrap up their three-game road trip in Kingston, Ont, against the Queen's Gaels on Saturday, Jan. 13. The tip-off is slated for 8:00 pm.