ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – The No. 7 Lakehead Thunderwolves claimed victory in their first game as a top 10 team since 2013.
But they needed every ounce of effort to get it.
Laoui Msambya nailed what proved to be the game-winning free-throw with 32 seconds left and the Wolves then hung on for a 74-73 win on the road after Tyler Brown missed a potential game-winning jump shot for the Brock Badgers at the buzzer.
Lakehead trailed by as many as 15 in the second quarter, but ended the half on a 5-1 run and picked up from there to open the third, Isaiah Traylor starting the rally with a three-pointer a minute-and-a-half after the break, closing the gap to as little as one before the third quarter came to a close the Wolves down by four.
A Msambya jumper gave Lakehead the lead for good with 5:02 to go in regulation.
Alston Harris led the way offensively for the Thunderwolves, finishing with 16 points. Msambya and 14 and Traylor wound up with a dozen points. Kascius Small-Martin led the way for the Badgers, collecting 20 points. Kwakwah Godsman had 18 in a losing effort.
At 6-1, Lakehead, winners of five straight, stands alone atop the OUA West, two wins up on McMaster (4-1). Brock fell back to .500 at 3-3 and are alone in third.
The Wolves and Badgers will try it again on Saturday night at the Bob Davis Gym.
