Fashioning a lead in the second quarter, the Marauders doggedly hung on to it until the fourth, when an offensive outburst moved them well beyond danger Friday.

Winning their second consecutive game to begin the New Year, McMaster downed Guelph 97-80 on the road to improve to 6-7 on the season, led by a 23-point performance from veteran point guard David McCulloch.

The Hamilton native made good on seven of his 11 attempts from the field on Friday, including three of five from three-point range, while adding five assists in the win.

Fellow veteran Connor Gilmore had 20 points and was similarly efficient from long range, knocking down four of six attempts from beyond the arc, while pulling down five rebounds.

A balanced offensive night saw Jordan Henry (13), Tristan Lindo (11) and Damiann Prehay (11) all surpass the double digit scoring plateau as well.

Pouring in 16 of his points in the opening half, McCulloch stood as far and away the leading scorer in the gym through 20 minutes, hitting six of nine shots from the floor and two of four from three-point range.

It was one of his two triples in the half, made with 4:56 to play in the second quarter, that propelled Mac ahead 36-34 and put momentum firmly in the visitors' corner for the remainder of the half, after trailing throughout the opening quarter.

The Marauders outscored the Gryphons 9-5 from there, and completed the half with a 47-39 lead while shooting 49 per cent from the field as a group.

Prehay, playing in just his second game as a Marauder since becoming eligible to compete after the holiday break, had 11 points in the half and hit five of his six attempts from the floor in the process.

McMaster's slowest offensive quarter of the night followed the break, and saw the Gryphons stay within striking distance, but that all changed dramatically in the fourth.

There, the Marauders outscored the home side 32-23 to put the game beyond reach, with Gilmore surging to the 20-point mark in the process.

NEXT UP: McMaster returns home to Burridge Gym to rematch the Laurier Golden Hawks, who the Marauders upset in Waterloo a week ago, on Saturday night. That game is slated to tip off at 8:00 p.m. and can be seen live on OUA.tv.