With the result coming down to the wire, the No. 10 ranked McMaster Marauders men's basketball team fell to the Queen's Gaels 97-95 at the Burridge Gym on Friday night.
 
Very little could separate the two sides that matched each other in nearly every statistical category.  The Marauders biggest lead came in the first quarter after Brandon Bernard's free-throw gave his side a 10-point lead at 22-12.
 
The Gaels ended the first similar to how they started the second quarter, going on a 8-0 run to close the deficit, and from then on it was a back-and-forth affair till the final buzzer. Both sides remained dominant in the paint throughout the game, with both teams producing 52 points within the perimeter.
 
Second chance points, as well as baskets off of turnovers plagued the Marauders who gave up crucial points down the wire in both categories. However, transition offense was key for the home side. Outscoring their opponents 14-7 on the fastbreak, Marauders forward Damiann Prehay was a big contributor behind this effort.
 
With the score at a deadlock, and each team vying for the upper hand, Prehay pounced on a deflected pass, and bolted down the court. Out sprinting a pair of Gaels guards, Prehay's layup tighten the score at 89-88, but that's as close as the Marauders got.
 
Icing the game on six free-throws after the Marauders attempted to foul their way back into the game, the Gaels closed out the contest with confidence.
 
Second-year guard Jordan Henry led all Marauders with 27 points, while Connor Gilmore picked up another double-double, with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
 
The Marauders now fall to fourth in the OUA Central division with a 9-6 record, while the Gaels remain in fourth in the OUA East division, also sporting a 9-6 record.
 
NEXT UP: The Marauders return to the court tomorrow night, as they take on the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks for the first time in program history. The Ridgebacks are competing in their inaugural season. Tip-off is scheduled for 8pm.