By Daniel Michael Centeno
The Ryerson Rams men’s basketball team dominated the McMaster Marauders in a 116-95 win on Jan. 29 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC).
All five Ryerson starters scored in double-digits as the backcourt duo of Tevaun Kokko and Jayden Frederick led the way, dropping a combined 50 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists.
“We shot the ball really well. Am I surprised? Not really. I know the firepower we have offensively and we kind of showcased it tonight,” said Rams head coach Borko Popic. “We had four guys score 20-plus. Two other in double-digits. We know the talent we have.”
Ryerson broke the record for their highest scoring regular season game in program history with the 21-point victory. It’s the first time this season that the Rams have scored over 100 points.
Last season, the Rams scored a U SPORTS record 139 points in a preseason game against the St. Francis Xavier X-Men.
The Rams built their lead with a 25-9 run in the first six minutes of the first quarter, making 66 per cent of their shots.
Kokko set the pace early on for Ryerson, scoring 13 points in the opening frame.
“We are on a good pace right now. We’re playing well together and we’re feeling more comfortable and finding our groove. I think that’s just a testament [the 116 points scored] to that,” said Kokko.
Kokko finished the game with 25 points, eight assists and six rebounds.
Ryerson, who shot 60.7 per cent from the field on the night, led 66-40 by halftime. Entering the second half, the efficient scoring continued for Ryerson.
First-year guard Mouhamed Ndiaye said the team wanted to be ready and set the offensive tone for the entire game.
“We came ready. We beat them the first time. We came with the mindset of punching first,” said Ndiaye.
Off the bench, Ndiaye recorded 20 points, three assists and two steals off the bench in 28 minutes played. The Rams led 93-61 before the final quarter.
Along with Kokko and Frederick, Rams forward Tanor Ngom hit the 20-point mark for the third consecutive game. Ngom also finished with 16 rebounds and four blocks.
Leading the way for McMaster was second-year guard Jordan Henry, who poured in a game-high 46 points and seven steals on 14-25 shooting.
Ryerson and McMaster both entered the game tied for second place in the Central Division with a 10-6 record.
The Rams now sit comfortably in second in the Ontario University Athletics Central division.
UP NEXT: The Rams will welcome the Brock Badgers in their final meeting of the regular season on Feb. 1 at the MAC
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