Nick Snow’s career-high 30 points helped propel the University of Toronto Varsity Blues men’s basketball team to a convincing 84-68 win over the Western Mustangs on Saturday, November 28 at U of T Athletic Centre Sports Gym.
After a dismal shooting performance the night before, the Blues put on a shooting clinic in the second half of tonight’s contest. As a team, Toronto shot 63.3% on 19-of-30 shooting from the floor, including 5-of-11 from beyond the arc. They had a season-high 27 assists to Western’s nine and only four turnovers compared to the 17 gaffes committed by the Mustangs.
A 6-foot-8 fifth-year senior, Snow hit 11 of his 18 shots from the floor and knocked down both attempts from three-point range. He hit all but one free-throw attempt (6-7) and hauled in six rebounds.
Four other Blues hit double figures. St. Catharines native Rob Paris knocked down 15 points and added a season’s best six assists. Fifth-year transfer-student Patrick Sewell (London, Ont.) tallied 13 and hauled in eight boards, while the team’s second-leading scorer Nick Magalas (Burlington, Ont.) chipped in with 12 and led all players with eights assists.
It was an even tilt during the first 20 minutes of action. The Blues jumped out of the gate and took an early 23-17 lead at the end of one quarter. However, the Mustangs bounced back in the second and made a run of their own.
They outscored the home team 24-16 to take a slight 41-39 lead into the halftime break thanks in large part to the 11-point production from third-year guard Ryan Barbeau (Belleville, Ont.) and Sarnia, Ont. native Andrew Wedemire.
The second half was a different story entirely. Holding a slim two-point advantage, back-to-back Magalas threes at the end of the third quarter ignited the Blues squad that then went on an 11-2 run to take a 10-point lead with eight minutes to go in the game.
Off a Wedemire turnover with under three minutes remaining, Magalas then put the dagger threw the hearts of Western fans when we nailed his third three of the half to give Toronto a 82-66 lead and put the game out of reach.
With the win on the final weekend before the winter exam break, Varsity moves to 5-3 in OUA action, while Western drops to 4-3.
Toronto returns to their regular-season schedule on Friday, January 8, 2010 when they travel to Kingston to take on the Queen’s Gaels. Game time is scheduled for 8 p.m.
For more information, scores and highlights on your favourite Toronto teams, please visit the home of the Varsity Blues at http://www.varsityblues.ca.
