Ravens trounce Lancers to earn shot at redemption against Ryerson in Wilson Cup final

OTTAWA, Ont. – A polished performance on behalf of the Ravens saw Carleton defeat the Windsor Lancers 97-58 in front of a packed house at the Ravens' Nest on Wednesday night.

Hometown product and sophomore forward Eddie Ekiyor (Ottawa, ON) put forth a double-double showing, scoring 14 points on 7-of-8 from the field, while also tallying 11 rebounds and blocking two shots in just 19 minutes of court time.

GAME FLOW:

It was all Ravens from the game's onset. Four quick points from Ekiyor built an early 6-3 lead, which soon ballooned to 13-6 after guard Stanley Mayambo (Fredericton, NB) hit a pocket three-pointer from the corner. Fourth-year forward Mitch Jackson (Regina, SK) showed off his nice touch on the inside by depositing two quick layups with 80 seconds left in the quarter, which helped bolster an eventual 22-10 lead for the Ravens entering the second.

Carleton picked up where it left off in the second quarter. Third-year guard Yasiin Joseph scored nine of the Ravens' first 11 points in just the first two and a half minutes of the frame. Thanks to Joseph's aggressive play off the dribble and from beyond the arc, the interior opened up for Ekiyor and center Cam Smythe (Vancouver, BC). The big men wreaked havoc on the Lancers' defence and a three-pointer by Smythe pushed the lead to 19 points before two free throws by forward TJ Lall (Cambridge, ON) helped give Carleton a 49-26 lead at the half.

The offensive floodgates were in full effect in the second quarter, but it was Carleton's nation renowned defence that put on a clinic in the third. The Ravens held the Lancers to just 10 points in the frame, while pouring in 28 of their own. The defensive showcase was led by guard Marcus Anderson (Brampton, ON), who received OUA Defensive Player of the Year honours before the game.

The Ravens entered the fourth quarter with a 77-36 lead. The Lancers pushed back and outscored Carleton in the final 10 minutes by a count off 22-20, but it was too late. Marcus Jones tallied 14 points for Windsor, while Lucas Orlita chipped in with 12 points of his own in the 97-58 loss.

Carleton will host the No.6 ranked Ryerson Rams in the Wilson Cup championship game on Saturday, March 3. The Ravens and Rams will meet in the OUA final for the third consecutive season, with Ryerson having come out on top in the last two title games. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Ravens' Nest.

Source: Carleton Ravens