In a rematch of the 2023-24 OUA semifinal, the University of Toronto Varsity Blues men's basketball team fell just short in an 80-76 loss versus the Queen's Gaels in Kingston, Ont., on Friday (Nov. 22) night.

A pair of familiar opponents, the Blues and Gaels last met in a thrilling double overtime OUA semifinal match-up last February, which saw Queen's escape with the home court win and go on to win the 2024 OUA Championship. In their first meeting since the exciting semifinal showdown, the two continued to showcase themselves as even opponents with six different lead changes throughout the duration of the Friday night showdown. Coming down to the final seconds, the game was all square 76-76 with just 60 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, but a three-point field goal and made free throw allowed the Gaels to escape with the win. Four of the last five meetings between these two teams have now ended with a margin of five points or less.

The key to the game for the Gaels proved to be their full-court pressure, which impacted the Blues offensive movement heavily, with countless traps resulting in the Blues ending regulation with 36 turnovers to just 15 by Queen's. The Gaels would capitalize scoring 36 points off turnovers. However, the Blues remained close by dominating in the paint, out-rebounding the Gaels 51-30, and scoring 40 of their 76 total points in the paint.
 
Blues fourth-year centre Lennart Weber impressed once again with a double-double by the end of the half. The Wiesbaden, Germany native finished the night with a game-high 22 points and career-high 19 boards, including six offensive rebounds. Weber also added two steals, two blocks, and one assist in31 minutes of action. Two more Blues players set new career-high's in the match-up — second-year guard Simmeon Jeffers with 21 points, shooting 55 percent from the field, and first-year point guard Rohan Scott-Smith with 11 points, adding four assists as a facilitator.
 
Queen's were led by the duo of Ollie Engen and Luke Syllas, who combined for 38 of the Gaels 83 total field goals. Engen finished with a team-high 21 points, while also securing seven rebounds, four assists, and one steal. Meanwhile, Syllas registered a stat line of 15 points, seven assists, five steals, and two rebounds in the win.
 
Up next, the Blues finish ta two-game road stretch by taking on the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks on Saturday (Nov 23) in Oshawa, Ont. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m., with the game being streamed online at oua.tv.