Patrick Sewell’s 25-point performance led the University of Toronto Varsity Blues men’s basketball team to an 85-70 victory over the Chattanooga Mocs on Saturday, September 5 at the Athletic Centre Sports Gym.

The Blues came out strong, led by fifth-year forward Nick Snow’s (London, Ont.) seven first-quarter points, and held a narrow 17-14 lead after the opening frame.

U of T’s solid defensive play limited the Mocs to a mere nine points in the second quarter, and offensively, Sewell drained four three-pointers as the Blues surged to a 15-point lead (38-23) at halftime.

Chattanooga found their legs in the third quarter as Ridge McKeither (Danville, Va.) and DeAntre Jefferson (Bloomington, Ill.) posted 10 and eight points, respectively, and cut the halftime lead to six. 
The Blues would respond half way through the quarter, highlighted by two Justin Holmes (Toronto) three-pointers, to widen the gap, 61-47, going into the final frame.

The Mocs increased their defensive pressure early in the fourth quarter, led by first-year guard Josh Odem’s (Johnson City, Tenn.) nine points and two steals, cutting the Blues lead to 66-60 with six minutes remaining. 

However Sewell, still with the hot hand, would end all hopes of a comeback, draining back-to-back three-pointers and recording another double-digit quarter. Burnaby, B.C. native Andrew Wasik chipped in with six  points of his own in the final frame to help the Blues secure an 85-70 victory.

Sewell led all players with 25 points, while Snow recorded 15 and Wasik had 13.

Jefferson recorded a double-double with a team-high 16 points and 10 boards for Chattanooga, while McKeither tallied 14 points and Ricky Taylor (Brownsville, Tenn.).

Notes:

The Mocs were 18-17 overall in 2008-09 and are the defending Southern Conference champions. They appeared in the 2009 NCAA March Madness tournament, where they fell to eventual semi-finalist University of Connecticut in the first round.

First-year forward Dakota Laurin (Calgary, Alta.) started his first game as a Varsity Blue and contributed a solid performance in the victory.