The McMaster men's basketball team powered back into the win column under the leadership of Taylor Black on Saturday. The fourth-year forward had a game-high 21 points, as the Marauders rolled past the Algoma Thunderbirds 88-64.

Black added five rebounds and four blocks, while guards Joe Rocca (13), Aaron Redpath (11) and Adam Presutti (10) all broke into double digits in scoring. The Marauders shot 49 per cent from the field in a game that they led almost throughout.

The win moved McMaster to 3-1 on the season, as they reclaimed top spot in the OUA West standings.

Algoma never led on Saturday, tying the game at nine in the first quarter before McMaster reasserted itself. However, the Thunderbirds remained within striking distance at the end of the first, trailing by six points at 19-13.

A 9-2 run early in the second quarter – book-ended by Presutti threes – gave the Marauders the separation they had been seeking, and forced the Thunderbirds to call time trailing 30-17. The lead stuck as the first half came to a close, and Trevon McNeil scored on consecutive possessions to take McMaster into the break with a 41-29 advantage.

It was in the second half that Black exploded offensively, as he put up 15 points in 11 minutes. The rout was on when Joe Rocca embarked on a six-point run of his own to extend McMaster's lead to 70-50 with 7:42 to play.

Algoma drained a jump shot, before McMaster reeled off another 13 unanswered points to bump the margin to 31 points with 3:08 to play.

The Marauders face a sterner test this coming weekend, as they welcome the CIS no. 1 Carleton Ravens and the no. 3 Ottawa Gee-Gees to the Burridge Gym on Friday, November 15 and Saturday, November 16. Both of those games will tip off at 8:00 p.m.