Box Score Behind career-high night's from fifth-year guard Reilly Reid and third-year forward Nikola Paradina, the University of Toronto Varsity Blues men's basketball team picked up a big 86-74 home win over the visiting Laurier Golden Hawks on Friday evening (Nov. 24) at Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport.

A Mississauga, Ont., native, Reid led all Blues on the night with a career-high 24 points, adding seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals in 32 minutes of action. Meanwhile, the Toronto native Paradina set new career high's in both points and rebounds with 23 points and 12 rebounds in an impressive double-double performance.

The Blue and White as a team were lights out in the early goings, nailing five three pointers in the opening quarter en route to a 27-14 lead.

However, in the second the Golden Hawks went on a run of their own led by sophomore sensation Tevaun Kokko. Laurier rallied off a 14-0 in the frame with Kokko scoring seven of his game-high 25. With the strong push the Golden Hawks led by one at the half, 43-42.

In a game of runs, Toronto snatched back momentum in the third holding Laurier to just 30 percent shooting from the field, while shooting over 50 percent themselves. Outscoring the Golden Hawks 28-13, the Blues took a commanding 70-56 lead into the fourth.

With Reid and Paradina adding to their career night in the fourth, and several strong rebounds down the stretch allowing for Toronto to have control the clock, U of T was able to hold off any Laurier counter in the final stanza.

The Varsity Blues are right back at it tomorrow (Nov. 25) as they continue a four-game homestand to end the fall semester versus the visiting Waterloo Warriors. Tip off is scheduled for 8 p.m. with the game also streamed live on OUA.tv.

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