The University of Toronto Varsity Blues men's basketball team delivered a stunning upset of the No. 8 nationally ranked Ottawa Gee-Gees on Saturday (Jan. 17) afternoon, taking down the perennial powerhouse 80-77 in Ottawa.
 
Facing a nationally ranked opponent for a second consecutive day, the Varsity Blues battled to keep pace with the high-powered Gee-Gees offence through the first half. Despite Ottawa shooting over 42 percent from the floor in the first half, Toronto trailed by just three points heading into the break. Halftime adjustments would pay off for the Blues as they took control, outscoring the home side in both the third and fourth quarters to flip the scoreboard from a three-point deficit to a three-point victory.
 
A complete team effort, the trio of second-year guard Rohan Scott-Smith, third-year forward Simeon Jeffers, and fourth-year centre Nigel Hylton all notched a team-high 17 points in the win. Three-point shooting played a key role in the Blues reversal of fortunes with the trio combining for six of Toronto's 11 made three-point field goals. In a team-high 34 minutes, Hylton also added eight rebounds, four assist, one block, and one steal to round an impressive overall stat line. Contributing timely buckets down the stretch, second-year guard Nathan Bureau also added another 11 points off the bench, including three three-pointers.
 
Owen Kenney led the way for the Gee-Gees, recording a game-high 22 points. Brock Newton was also impressive in the paint grabbing 10 rebounds, including five from the offensive glass.
 
The victory marks a second consecutive win for the Blues over the Gee-Gees when facing them on their home court in Ottawa. The win also lifts Toronto into third place in the OUA Central standings, now holding a record of 8-6.
 
U of T will be aiming for another upset as they next travel to London to face-off against the No. 3 Western Mustangs on Friday, Jan. 23. Tip-off for the road contest is set for 8 p.m., with all the action streamed live and on-demand via oua.tv.