For the second time this season, the Western men's basketball team pushed the No. 8-ranked Windsor Lancers. For the second time, the Mustangs didn't have enough push to get it done.
The Lancers beat the Mustangs 80-73 Wednesday night at Alumni Hall. It was Western's second loss in succession.
The Mustangs crawled back from as many as 11 points down to cut the lead to one late in the game. But Londoner Enrico Di Loreto hit two free throws and a three-pointer to open the lead back up and the Mustangs never threatened after that.
Mustangs coach Brad Campbell wasn't pleased with the way his club played.
"We just have to get better at the small details," Campbell said. "The box-out here, the better screen on offence there. What we aren't doing is the details on every possession. Not just the possessions at the end of the game, but the second possession of the game. That's as important as the last possession.
"What wins games are the little details. We just don't put enough possessions together with the details to beat Windsor in the last two games and Brock last Saturday."
These Mustangs ride a trio of players hard -- Garrett Olexiuk, Ryan Barbeau and Andrew Wedemire. When those guys aren't playing well, the Mustangs are in trouble, and when a team like Windsor shows up with all its depth, especially big men inside, the matchup problems begin.
"Windsor's strength is they have a lot of athleticism and a lot of talent and a lot of depth. They keep running it at you," Campbell said. "They can rotate guys in and still be athletic. With our lack of depth sometimes, it's tough for us to handle some of those situation."
Di Loreto led the Lancers with 20 points. Nigel Johnson-Tyghter had 19 and Isaac Kuon added 13.
Barbeau had 19 for the Mustangs with Olexiuk hitting for 17 and Wedemire 11.
Di Loreto was supposed to head to Central Connecticut University on a scholarship, but the Beal grad said the situation wasn't what he was promised it would be. He opted for Windsor.
"They've been recruiting me since Grade 9," he said. "I really like the atmosphere they have there and I like their style of play."
Di Loreto obviously enjoyed his return to London.
"It was fun playing here in front of all my family and friends," he said with a big smile.
As for the Mustangs, they've fallen to fourth in the OUA West.
"We've got a lot of young guys a lot of new guys and I wouldn't say our style of play is easy to pick up right away," Campbell said. "We have to start seeing some improvements with what we are doing and hopefully we can pull it together."
The Mustangs play at McMaster this weekend. Ex-Mustang Keenan Jeppesen is playing for the Marauders, who are two points behind Western in the standings.
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