MBB | Voyageurs Cap-Off Season by Defeating 8th Ranked Thunderwolves

The Laurentian Voyageurs men's basketball team entered their final game of the season on Saturday night with a spot in the OUA playoffs already locked up, looking to build on late-season momentum as they took on the 8th-ranked team in the nation, the Lakehead Thunderwolves.

Laurentian set the tone early, shooting an impressive 60% from the field in the first quarter. On the other end, Laurentian's defense was strong as Lakehead struggled offensively, shooting just 35.3% and going 1-for-9 from three-point range. This combination of strong offense and stingy defense early on allowed the Voyageurs to break out to an early 20-13 lead after the first quarter.

Laurentian truly began to dominate in the second quarter, outscoring Lakehead 23-7. Their defense smothered Lakehead, holding them to just 10.5% shooting while forcing five turnovers in the process. Shawn Barthelemy shined on offense, putting up 10 points in the second quarter, aiding the Voyageurs in extending their lead to 23 points going into halftime. Laurentian took no prisoners through the first twenty minutes against one of the best teams in the country.

Lakehead found some rhythm in the third quarter, putting up 20 points and improving their shooting percentage to 44.4%. Laurentian, however, maintained control, and despite a stronger showing from Lakehead, Laurentian's depth and ability to control possessions kept them ahead by 18 points heading into the final period.

Laurentian put the game away with a dominant fourth quarter, shooting a blistering 71.4% from the field and 83.3% from three. The story of the fourth quarter was Laurentian senior Kamil Dia-Hantchi. In his final regular-season game for the Voyageurs, he finished with a game-high 26 points, with an impressive 17 of them coming in the final quarter. Along with Dia-Hantchi, the rest of Laurentian's bench also contributed significantly with 51 total points. Laurentian's balanced attack and defensive pressure sealed an 87-64 victory in front of the home crowd, ending the season on a high note with three straight home wins to cap off the regular season.

The Voyageurs' regular-season record finished at 11-11, good enough to secure the 9th seed in the OUA playoffs, leading to a matchup with the Windsor Lancers on the road Wednesday night. The game is set to begin at 8 p.m. in Windsor and will be available to watch for free on OUA.tv.

- Andrew Lemieux