The York University Lions basketball teams played hosted to their in-city rivals, the Toronto Varsity Blues on Saturday night in their annual Black History Month games at Tait McKenzie Centre. York entered these games following a split against the McMaster Marauders in Hamilton on Friday evening, as the women fell 87-80, while the men recorded a 72-63 victory.  

Both sides scored victories over the Blues on the road on Jan. 11. A season-sweep of Toronto would not only give the sides bragging rights, but would strengthen playoff-positioning for the women, who currently hold the final playoff spot in the OUA as the 12th seed.

Women's Game: 

The Lions controlled the pace in the first, not trailing at any point in the quarter. It started with a 10-5 run that featured three-pointers from Bilan Khadar and Gabby Di Pietro. York closed the quarter in style, when Khadar stole the ball and dished it to Kiara Leveridge, who hit a buzzer-beating jumper as York entered the second leading 25-17. 

Leveridge continued to have the hot hand in the second, scoring the Lions first four points of the frame, four of her team-best six in the quarter. Ruqaya Green scored four points of her own, while Ella Okubasu scored five. The home team went into the half with a 42-28 advantage. 

York continued to pile it on in the third frame. Alexis Grewal scored seven points, while Green had a pair of assists. The Lions entered the fourth with a 62-39 advantage, looking poised to earn their sixth win of the year. 

Though the Blues were able to go on a 7-3 run midway through the fourth, York would take over from there. Di Pietro scored eleven of her season-high twenty points in the final quarter, as the Lions protected the den with a 83-51 victory.

Men's Game: 

The teams traded scores to start the game, as York, powered by four points by Liam Rietschin, trailed Toronto 8-7 just over three minutes in. The Blues would pull away however, going on a 17-5 run the rest of the way to go into the second leading 25-12.

Toronto dominated their rivals to start the second quarter. The Blues went on an 18-5 run to increase their lead to a demanding 43-17 with three minutes left in the half. York would counterpunch, however, as Rietschin scored six points and Malaki Ayres-Olson scored four over a 10-4 run to close the quarter. Toronto led 47-27 after one half of play.

York began to claw their way back in the third, thanks to a 10-3 run that featured threes from Ayres-Olson and Nickele Harris. While the Lions outscored the Blues 16-14 in the third, they still faced an 18-point deficit through three, trailing 61-43.

In the fourth, York's Nathan Carr provided four points and two boards, while Ayres-Olson and Dante Forchione each hit a three. However, the visitors rediscovered their offence after a quiet third, as they walked away with an 81-58 win.

LOOKING AHEAD:

The Lions welcome the McMaster Marauders to Tait McKenzie Centre on Wednesday night in the second games of their season-series after the teams met on Friday in Hamilton. The women's game tips off at 6:00 pm, while the men's game starts at 8:00 pm.