Wolves hold off Ottawa, await Carleton

The battle for top spot in the nation is still a go.

Lakehead completed its end of the bargain on Friday night, withstanding a late charge by the visiting Ottawa Gee Gees to escape with a 78-72 win.

No. 1 Carleton, who arrive in Thunder Bay on Saturday to take on the No. 3 Wolves, easily dismantled Guelph, winning by more than 40.

With all eyes pointing toward the match-up with the Ravens, the team the Wolves beat last March to take home the OUA championship, they still had the Gee Gees to contend with to preserve their unbeaten five-game run to start the 2011-12 season.

A late lay-up by Ryan Thomson on a pass from Yoosrie Salhia helped the Wolves put an end to a 7-0, fourth-quarter run by Ottawa, who were fuelled by 23 points from Johnny Berhane-Meskel, who added six boards and four assists.

The difference in this one was long-distance shooting. Lakehead hit 50 per cent of the 16 treys they fired up, three more than Ottawa managed in front of a tough Thunderdome crowd.

The Wolves got double digits from five players, led by Venzal Russell's 16. Salhia and Greg Carter chipped in 14 apiece, while Joseph Jones and Ben Johnson recorded 11 each.

LU coach Scott Morrison knows the task ahead of his team on Saturday and said the Wolves have to play a more complete game or face their first loss this year.

"Tomorrow against the CIS champs we cannot expect to stay in the game without executing our plan and playing 100 per cent as a team for 40 minutes."