The York University Lions basketball teams welcomed the TMU Bold to Tait McKenzie on Wednesday night for the second half of a home-and-home between the two teams and the second-last game of the season. On the women's side, York was coming off a 62-57 upset of the OUA Central leaders at the Mattamy Athletic Centre on Saturday. TMU entered as the top team in the OUA Central, searching for their 16th win, while York, sitting in fourth place, looked to secure their eighth. Meanwhile, the men aimed for their fifth victory and looking to split the season series against a TMU team sitting third in the division and seeking its 14th win.
Women's Game:
The Lions started strong, holding their own in the opening quarter. Despite an early 5-0 TMU run, York responded with aggressive defence and pounding the glass. Kiara Leveridge and Ella Okubasu provided early points in the paint, helping the Lions stay within reach, down 18-14 after one.
However, the second quarter saw TMU take full control. York's offense went cold, managing just nine points in the frame as turnovers and missed opportunities allowed TMU to extend their lead. The Bold capitalized with strong outside shooting, led by Jayme Foreman, who knocked down a pair of threes, and Kaillie Hall, who was relentless on both ends of the floor. Alexis Grewal and Ashanti Christian accounted for six of York's points in the quarter, as they trailed 35-22 at the break.
The Lions attempted to regroup in the third quarter, with Grewal sparking the offense by attacking the basket and finding success in the mid-range. Grewal finished the night with 15 points on 6-for-13 shooting, but strong ball pressure and all-around defence from TMU kept York from closing the gap, as the visitors took a 53-37 lead to the fourth.
York showed some resilience in the fourth, with Leveridge battling inside to notch a near triple-double of 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists, good for her eight double-double of the year and sixth in her last seven games. Okubasu added 8 points and 7 rebounds, but the Lions as a team shot just 28.3% compared to TMU's 43.9. The Bold secured the win with a balanced offensive attack, with Hall finishing with 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 steals, while Foreman added 17 points, including three three-pointers, as York fell 69-49.
With this result, York will now need to beat the Brock Badgers and have both the Nipissing Lakers and Laurentian Voyageurs to lose to the Lakehead Thunderwolves on Friday and Saturday night, respectively, in order to qualify for the postseason.
Men's Game:
In the first quarter, York could only manage 14 points compared to the Bold's 25, and things didn't improve much from there. By halftime, the Lions were down 60-35. Despite a solid performance in the third quarter, where they put up 22 points, York's offensive production never matched the pace set by TMU. In the final quarter, York was limited to just 14 points, allowing their opponents to walk away with a 108-81 victory.
Bright spots for York were provided by a pair of seniors. Liam Rietschin posted a team-high 26 points for the red and white, going 10-of-22 from the field and 3-of-5 beyond the arc, whole also earning five rebounds four assists and a pair of blocks. Meanwhile, Elias Panagiotopoulos posted 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting – all threes – and put up two boards, two assists and a steal. York's other double-figure scorer, Travon Hamilton, had 10 points, eight assists and four rebounds in a losing cause.
LOOKING AHEAD:
The Lions will look to bounce back as they host the Brock Badgers on Saturday night in their regular season finales, on senior night at Tait McKenzie Centre. The women's game will start at 6:00 pm, and the men's and 8:00 pm, and will be streamed live on OUA TV.
