Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Western 70, Laurier 89
TODAY: Playoffs - Mustangs vs. Laurier 7pm Alumni Hall
To Purchase Tickets Click Here
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Mustangs in Today's London Free Press
OUA West quarter-final game set for Wednesday against Laurier
Story by Lindsay English - Mustangs Athletics
Western was the winner of the regular season series winning both games Jan.9 80-77 at Alumni Hall and Jan.30, 78-70, at Laurier Athletic Centre.
The Golden Hawks secured their playoff berth on Feb.17 against Brock defeating them 78-65 knocking Brock out of a playoff position. Laurier earned their OUA West quarter-final game against Western by taking fourth place from the Waterloo Warriors with a 67-63 win putting them into fifth place. The play of Jesse Macdonald (Brantford, Ont.), Maxwell Allin (Chatham, Ont.) and Kale Harrison (Stratford, Ont.) has been stellar for the Golden Hawks combining for 888 of Laurier’s 1,568 total points.
The Mustangs finished their regular season with a 60-59 win on Feb 19 and an 89-65 loss at Lakehead this weekend. The Mustangs made a point of resting their starters in preparation for Wednesday’s quarter-final game. Head coach Brad Campbell says it’s important for his key players to play well.
“At this time of year you always need role players to step up and play well,” says Campbell.
Andrew Wedemire (Sarnia, Ont.) achieved a personal milestone of reaching 1,000 career points in the game on Friday night. The Mustangs will be looking to him for points as well asRyan Barbeau (Belleville, Ont.) and Garrett Olexiuk (Burlington, Ont.) as they start their playoff journey. Campbell says his team is feeling confident as they go into Wednesday’s game.
“(The) team feeling is confident right now. We had a good trip to Lakehead last weekend and are ready for playoff basketball,” says Campbell.
Game time is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday Feb.24 at Alumni Hall for the OUA West Quarter-final game. If Western wins they will advance to the OUA West Semi final Feb.27 in Windsor at 8 p.m. Tickets are available half an hour before tip-off or available online atwww.westernmustangs.ca
Monday, February 22, 2010
Playoffs: Mustangs vs. Laurier Wed. Feb 24th 7pm
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Regular season ends with loss to Lakehead
Garrett Olexiuk (Burlington, Ont.) led the Western Mustangs in scoring with 15 points.
The Mustangs made a point of resting a number of starters in preparation for their playoff match Wednesday night Feb. 24 at Alumni Hall when they take on the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks at 7 p.m. Western won both regular season games between the two team
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Mustangs Win Thiller vs. Lakehead
THUNDER BAY, Ont. - The Western Mustangs rarely held a lead during the game but they had it when it counted, squeaking out a 60-59 victory over the first-place Lakehead Thunderwolves Friday Feb. 19. Lakehead held the lead for most of the game but with the score tied at 59-59 with less than a minute left, the Thunderwolves were called for an offensive foul under the Mustangs basket. Andy Wedemire (Sarnia, Ont. ) went to the free-throw line and dropped one of his two foul shots for the one-point lead and the Mustangs hung on for the victory in the frantic final seconds. Wedemire led all scorers with 21 points on the night which saw him eclipse 1,000 career points over his four seasons at Western "I'm thrilled Andy was able to reach this milestone," said Mustang head coach Brad Campbell after the game. "Andy has gone through various injuries through his career to become an outstanding scorer." Both Lakehead and Western will close out the regular season Saturday night Feb. 20 when the two teams meet again in Thunder Bay. The Mustangs will open the playoffs at home Wednesday night Feb. 24 when they host either Laurier or Waterloo in an OUA West Division quarter-final game.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Western 60, Lakehead 59
"It was our best defensive effort of the year. I am proud of the way our guys really stepped it up in the 2nd half and gutted out a win tonight" Coach Brad Campbell
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Mustangs Clinch 4th - with Waterloo loss Wednesday Night
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Fourth place in sight for Mustangs hoops squad
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Men suffer loss to Waterloo, Wedemire still looking for point 1,000
Andy Watson - Mustangs Athletics
Andrew Wedemire (Sarnia, Ont.) continues his race to his 1,000 point milestone for his Mustangs career. He currently has reached 997 points, netting 14 points for the Mustangs. He will likely achieve his 1,000 points in the back-to-back road games in Thunder Bay, Ont., next weekend as Western closes out the regular season against Lakehead.
Ryan Barbeau (Belleville, Ont.) and Garrett Olexiuk (Burlington, Ont.) combined for 29 points in the Waterloo loss.
With two games remaining in the regular season, the Mustangs currently hold fourth in the West which would give them home court advantage in the first round of playoffs.
The Warriors sit below the Mustangs in the standings with nine points and now prepare for the first-place Thunderwolves. The games are scheduled for 8 p.m. on Feb 19. and 20.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Andy Wedemire closing in on 1,000-point career milestone
Story by Andy Watson - Mustangs AthleticsLONDON, Ont. - Western Mustangs fourth-year forward Andy Wedemire is just 17 points shy of 1,000 points and could reach the milestone on Feb. 13 when the Western Mustangs visit the Waterloo Warriors at 2 p.m.Wedemire (Sarnia, Ont.) is having a career-best season with 369 points thus far. His previous best season was his rookie campaign in 2006-07, when he had 269 points for the Mustangs.
Wedemire's Scoring Career
2006-07 269
2007-08 121
2008-09 224
2009-10 369
TOTAL 983
Friday, February 12, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Mustangs vs. McMaster Re-cap
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Western 92, McMaster 86
Tonight the Mustangs came out with a victory over nationally ranked #10 McMaster with a score of 92-86. Mustang Andy Wedemire led the team with 25 pts followed by a monster game from David Harder with 22 pts, 11 rbs. This was an important win for the Western Mustangs in standings. 
Mustangs vs. McMaster Pre-View
LONDON, Ont. - A familiar face will return to Western in a place where he helped the Mustangs create fond memories, and another trip to CIS nationals, just a year ago.
Keenan Jeppesen (Stoney Creek, Ont.) is averaging 20 points and nine rebounds per game for the McMaster Marauders, currently in third place in the OUA West at 12-6.
Campbell said the key to victory will partly in containing the senior forward.
He also said, "the ability to rebound defensively" and "take better care of the ball and maximize our offensive possessions" will be factors in the outcome.
The Mustangs need to ensure they stick to their gameplan, with McMaster's offence capable of putting up big points. Western experienced this in Hamilton, Ont., in January with a 93-64 loss to the Marauders.
It's an important game for both teams in the standings. With only road games ahead in the schedule for Western, including a double-header in Thunder Bay against nationally ranked Lakehead to close out the season, winning the final game at home is of great importance.
Only the top four teams in the OUA West will get the chance to host a home playoff game when the post-season begins Feb. 24 with divisional quarter-finals.
The third-place team will host the sixth-place team, and the fourth-place team will host fifth-place team team in the divisional quarter-finals. Winners of those two games will travel to play the first and second-place teams in the divisional semifinals on Feb. 27.
The Mustangs, currently in fourth place with a 10-8 record, can finish no worse than seventh. One more win will guarantee Western a playoff spot as, if they finished the season tied with Laurier, Western holds the tiebreaker in head-to-head competition.
If Western wins out, they would move to 14-8 and could reach first place.
Western will honour its lone senior on the Mustangs men's basketball team tonight, as Jason Milliquet (Sarnia, Ont.) suits up for his final regular season home game.
Milliquet has proven to be one of the most feared three-point shooters in the country.
A fifth-year senior, Milliquet has provided leadership and steady guard play throughout his Western career. A captain of this year's Mustangs squad, he is most known for his play during the Mustangs' playoff run in 2007-08, when in three games he went 14/21 from three-point range to lift Western to an OUA West title win and the process a spot in the CIS Final 8 national tournament.
Playing in two national tournaments in the past two seasons, he is fourth on the team in points per game this season. Tonight, he will be joined on court by his father D.J. and mother Diane from Sarnia, On
Monday, February 8, 2010
Article from the London Free Press
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Mustangs vs. Guelph Replay Sunday at 8pm on Rogers
Check out the replay of Saturday's Mustangs vs. Guelph game tonight at 8pm on Rogers Channel 13 in London.
Wedemire, Barbeau power Mustangs comeback win
Game Report from Andrew Simpson -Mustangs Athletics
LONDON, Ont. – The Mustangs men basketball team used a strong second half to beat the Guelph Gryphons 84-80 Saturday afternoon at Alumni Hall. A large boisterous crowd was on hand for the Jam the Gym promotion and they left happy and entertained as Western came from 16 points down in the second half to win.
Leading the Mustangs charge was Andrew Wedemire (Sarnia, Ont.) with 19 points and 13 rebounds, getting 10 of those rebounds in the second half. Ryan Barbeau(Belleville, Ont.) was the playmaker as he used a great second half to finish with 17 points and 13 assists. All five of Western’s starters finished with double figures in points, with Jason Milliquet (Sarnia, Ont.) netting 13 points, Garrett Olexiuk(Burlington, Ont.) getting 12 and Brett Lawrence (Welland, Ont.) finishing with 11.
The Mustangs are now 10-8 on the year and are in fourth place in the OUA West standings. With the loss the Guelph Gryphons fall to 5-13 on the year.
Coach Brad Campbell was pleased with the defensive effort and their overall play in the second half.
“We had a lack of focus defensively in the first half and in the second half we showed what we are capable of,” Coach Campbell said, “Wedemire and Barbeau really stepped up in the fourth quarter when we needed them to.”
Campbell also added that the focus this week in practice would be to “get better defensively so that we can take away what the other team is trying to do on offense.”
Each team came out of the gates slowly as the larger than usual crowd accompanied with noisemakers, created a great atmosphere for basketball. The Gryphons were playing tight on defence and forcing Western into taking tough shots. Guelph held a slim three point advantage at the end of the frame 14-11.
The Gryphon lead was extended in the second quarter behind the incredibly hot shooting hand of Jay Mott. During a stretch in the second quarter he had 14 points in a row, including 4 triples. He finished with 33 points on the day and shot 7 of 10 from three point range. The Mustangs stayed within reach though with Milliquet answering back with two threes of his own. Poor shooting at the foul line from the Mustangs hurt their offensive game and at half time the Gryphons were up 43-31.
The Mustangs tightened up their play in the third quarter and began their comeback from a deficit as large as 16 points at one time. They were getting to the foul line and were playing very well defensive. By the end of the quarter the Gryphons lead had been cut down to 63-56.
The fourth quarter started out with a 7-0 run by the Mustangs to tie the game at 63 apiece. The crowd rallied behind their team and, with Wedemire dominating the defensive boards, Western pushed the lead to 11 with 1:41 remaining. Guelph refused to rollover though and battled back, fouling to send Western to the foul line and then cutting into the lead on their offensive end. The Mustangs proved to be gelling at the right time however, and held on to win 84-80.
Next up for the Mustangs are the McMaster Marauders on Wed. Feb. 10 at 8 p.m. This will the final home game of the regular season for Western so come out and support them on the road to the playoffs. Students receive free admission with their Student ID cards.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Western 84, Guelph 80
Friday, February 5, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Backcourt Club Announces 2010 Hall of Honour Inductees
By Andy Watson - Mustangs Athletics
"These seven former Mustangs players have made a major impact on Western basketball," said Mustangs men’s basketball head coach Bradley Campbell. "We are very pleased we can recognize their contribution with their entry into this year's Mustangs Backckourt Club Hall of Honour induction class."
For more information, contact men's basketball head coach Brad Campbell atbcampbe5@uwo.ca or by phone at 519 850-2416.
Here are the seven inductees, all in the players category:
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Western 72, Brock 82
Ryan Barbeau Selected Western Male Athlete of the Week
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Pre-View of Mustangs vs. Brock Wednesday Feb.3
Story by Lindsay English
LONDON Ont. - The Western men's basketball team will tip-off against the sixth place Brock Badgers on Feb.3 at Bob Davis Gymnasium in St. Catherines. The last meeting between the two teams was on Jan.16 where Brock defeated the Mustangs by a score of 80-85. As the men enter the last six games of the regular season, Western currently sits fourth in the OUA West division two points behind McMaster. To breakdown the playoff picture, if playoffs were to start today, Western would hold home court advantage for being fourth in the division (third and fourth place receive home court advantage.) If they were to move into first or second, they would receive a buy in the first round of playoff games.
After coming off back-to-back wins on Jan 27. against Waterloo and Jan 30. against Wilfred Laurier, the Mustangs will face Brock who also are coming off a one point win over Guelph this past Saturday and will no doubt be looking for another win over the Mustangs.
The play of Ryan Barbeau( Belleville, Ont.) and Andrew Wedemire( Sarnia, Ont.) has been strong as of late both leading the team to a win over Laurier on Jan 30. 78-70. Wedemire netted 24 points for the Mustangs while Barbeau and Garrett Olexiuk(Burlington, Ont.) both contributed 15 points each. Wedemire leads his team in points with 302, and sits in sixth place in the OUA standings.
The Mustangs will return home to face Guelph on Feb. 6 at Alumni Hall at 3 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at www.westernmustangs.ca . Students can get in free with their student ID.
Monday, February 1, 2010
London Free Press Article on the Mustangs Win at Laurier
Foul-troubled Wedemire saves game
UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL: And women's team holds off late-charging Laurier
WATERLOO -- There's one big edge to being pinned to the bench with four fouls early in the second half.
"Fresh legs," Western men's basketball forward Andy Wedemire said with a wry smile.
So with the game on the line and no room for another infraction, the spry fourth-year Mustangs scored nine of his game-high 24 points in a 78-70 victory over the Laurier Golden Hawks before 400 Saturday at the Laurier Athletic Complex.
Up two in crunch time, Wedemire made a strong move to the hole, scored and drew the extra free throw that, ironically, fouled out hot-shooting Golden Hawk veteran Matt Buckley.
"You can't change anything (with four fouls)," the 6-foot-6 Sarnia native said. "You just keep playing hard even if you don't think the calls are going your way."
Wedemire buried five straight free throws when the heat was on.
Garrett Olexiuk, a lone wolf down low while Wedemire sat, was happy for the help when he checked back in.
"That was big Andy not fouling out," the 6-foot-7 forward said. "When he's not in there, they pay more attention to me."
The Mustangs are 9-7 and the Hawks 7-9. Western gave itself some breathing room in the playoff hunt.
"We feel like we have something to prove," Wedemire said. "The way we lost (on a buzzer beater by Carleton in the national semifinal last year), we had to relive watching that play every day on TV."
That wasn't fun. Neither was a 93-64 loss to McMaster last week, especially after old mate Keenan Jeppesen torched the Stangs for 22 points and 11 boards.
"I wasn't able to play in that one, but they have to come back to our place (Feb. 10) and we're kind of licking our lips for another shot at them," Burlington native Olexiuk said. "Our goal is to get back to nationals again. There's no pressure on us -- no one expected anything from us this year."
There's no pining over the Jeppesen loss.
"There isn't any hard feelings because we all knew Keenan had to do what was best for his career . . . ," Olexiuk said.
"I didn't get to play at Mac in front of my family and friends, but who knows? Maybe we'll run into them in the playoffs."
Mustangs Win on the Road - Article from Laurier Game
By Daisy Sun - Mustangs Athleteics
Picture - Ryan Barbeau
LONDON, Ont. – The Western Mustangs men’s basketball team settled their second match against Laurier with a 78-70 victory on Jan. 30 at the WLU Athletic Complex.With the added pressure of a road game and an attendance of over 300 spectators, the Mustangs surprisingly overcame these sidetracks, defeating the Laurier Golden Hawks with an eight-point lead.
Andrew Wedemire (Sarnia, Ont.) proved to be an asset by outscoring every other individual during the game, securing 24 points for the Mustangs. Ryan Barbeau (Belleville, Ont.) and Garrett Olexiuk (Burlington, Ont.) both netted 15 points each, while Jason Milliquet (Sarnia, Ont.), who played for a total of 36 minutes, finished with 11 points.
Despite the victory, the game was a close call. The Mustangs started with a four-point lead by the end of the first quarter, but lost their second and third quarters to the Golden Hawks, leaving the Mustangs at a two-point lead.
Similar to a teeter totter, the Mustangs seem to bounce back and forth from losses and wins. The Mustangs may win some, but their game play has continually been inconsistent.
While the team has gradually improved throughout the season, placing them at fourth (9-7) within the western division, they must face the Brock Badgers in their next match. The Mustangs will be playing against Brock for the second time within this season. Their previous game against Brock was close, but ended with a loss at 80-85. The Mustangs had reigned control up until the end of the second quarter. But could not hold up their defence in the fourth quarter.
With the next match coming up on Feb. 3 at 8 P.M., the Mustangs must re-strategize their approach. Unfortunately, the next match will also be another road game, but with the proof from this game, anything could happen.