An 11-point fourth quarter lead was not enough to guarantee the Lakehead Thunderwolves men’s basketball team a home victory.
The Western Mustangs rode a furious comeback in the game’s final period to squeak out a 73-72 victory over the Thunderwolves at the Thunderdome on Friday.
The two teams entered the contest with identical 4-8 marks fighting to establish solid playoff footing.
Things started off well for Lakehead, who hit the halftime break with a 42-35 lead.
That lead was maintained through the third quarter and extended into the fourth where the Thunderwolves led by double digits with eight minutes on the clock.
The combination of Lakehead’s offence stalling and Western heating up turned the tables.
The Thunderwolves had an opportunity to send their fans home happy but Alex Robichaud missed a short bank shot as the buzzer sounded.
Lakehead’s Henry Tan led all scorers with 26 points and Igor Lebov chipped in 12 points. The Mustangs were efficient from the perimeter going 8 of 11 beyond the arc. Peter Sholtes led the visitors with 19 points.
Both teams will be back in action on Saturday at 8 p.m.
