By Libaan Osman
The Ryerson Rams men’s basketball team couldn’t miss much from the field against the McMaster Marauders, improving to 6-0 to begin the regular season in their 102-70 win on Nov. 16.
It all began with the veteran play of point guard Myles Charvis, who had 17 points in the first half shooting 7-7 from the field. Charvis’ pace and tempo controlled the game for the Rams, as he got to wherever he wanted on the court. It also helped his teammates get open looks and make some decent plays down the stretch.
A buzzer beating three-pointer from Yusuf Ali to end the quarter catapulted Ryerson to a 30-21 lead early on. The Rams had six assists on their first 12 field goals made. The Rams went on a 20-8 run to begin the second, thanks in large part to their dazzling shooting of 73.3 per cent in the first half on 30 shots.
With Ryerson in the driver’s seat up 56-38 at halftime, guard Jean-Victor Mukama would put his fingerprints all over the game. After scoring a career-high 27 points in their last game against the Laurier Golden Hawks, Mukama took his game to another level once again.
Mukama dropped a new career-high 28 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and four steals on 11-15 shooting. He has continued to lead by example, as the Rams hit the century mark for the third time this season. Charvis also finished strong, adding 25 points, six assists and two steals on 10-15 shooting.
Off the bench, Ali was able to provide a spark for head coach Roy Rana, who went small with both his point guards playing alongside one another for most of the night. Ali had 11 points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals.
While the Rams dominated, they did struggle to control the ball with 21 turnovers on the night. That’s the most Ryerson has given up the ball since Nov. 25 of 2017. Sophomore center Tanor Ngom also returned to the starting lineup after missing the last two games and didn’t miss a beat. The seven-foot-two forward had 15 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in 21 minutes.
Through six games, the Rams are shooting 54.1 per cent from the field, averaging 96.7 points per game, 47 rebounds and 17.3 assists. In the team’s first six games last season, they shot just 43.4 per cent, averaging 75.5 points, 36.5 rebounds and 9.8 assists. Also, the Rams currently rank first in the OUA in points, field goals made, rebounds and points allowed.
UP NEXT: The Rams will head to St. Catharines to take on the Brock Badgers on Nov. 17. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.
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