Box Score There are no do-overs in OUA basketball but if there were the McMaster men's team would ask for another chance to play the second quarter of its game with Nipissing, as it was pivotal in a 74-68 loss to the Lakers in Hamilton Saturday night.

Looking to bounce back from losing to Laurentian the previous night, McMaster started strong and jumped out to a 9-0 lead off the tip.  Nipissing found its game though and tied the score at 18-18 to erase the early advantage.  The Marauders were able to end the opening period, holding a slim 22-20 lead.

It was in the second quarter that the wheels fell off for the Marauders, as McMaster put up its worst quarter of basketball since U SPORTS switched to FIBA rules, scoring only 3 points and giving up 24.  The big Laker run saw McMaster looking at a 44-25 deficit at the half.

The third quarter saw McMaster shake off its doldrums, but Nipissing did not provide much opportunity to trim the deficit and after 30 minutes, the Laker lead was 20 at 61-41.

With 10 minutes remaining, the Marauders picked up the pressure as they needed to force some turnovers to have any hope of a comeback.  Sparked by David McCulloch, who scored 12 points in the final stanza, McMaster slowly chipped away at the deficit and got to within a single possession in the final minute at 71-68.  That was as close as Mac could get, and Nipissing made some late free-throws to close out the win.

McCulloch finished with 16 to lead McMaster, with Matt Quiring adding 15 and Miles Seward 14.  Nipissing got a game-high 27 from Jaaden Lewis to pace the Laker scoring.

Next action for the Marauders is on Friday, November 24 when they travel to St. Catharines to face the no. 2-ranked Brock Badgers in an OUA West division clash.