Coming off of a win, the McMaster Marauders were tested by the No.3 Queens Gaels. In such a bout, the visitors made the home team earn it, and they did as the Gaels won 76-67.
 
Leading the unit, Mike Demagus scored 18, while shelling out four assists. Nathan Charles also saw eight points, while pulling nine off the glass.
 
Off the jump, both shirts exchanged various runs 5 point runs, but it was the Gaels who snuck out of the first quarter ahead. The men in Maroon saw their largest, and only, leads of the night, in the first quarter. Looking into the second quarter, Ay Osunde led both teams as the only athlete to hit double-digit point figures within the first half. Dominating the glass brought the Gaels to topple the Marauders, out-rebounding 28 to 9. 
 
While trailing heading into the third, the Marauders held healthy vitals: 43.8% from the field, 46.2% from 3-point range, 66.7% from the line. Plus an additional 14 points from the paint. It wasn't fair to count the visitors out just yet, not with the strength, skill and grit displayed.
 
In the third, McMaster broke the lead down to a one-point difference. Nathan Charles dropped a layup and sunk the foul-earned free throw to make a three-point play, which was run back by Moody Qasim driving and placing the lay. The overtaking did not go further, as the unhappy Gaels retaliated. Halfway through the fourth quarter, Queens had watered their lead to 10.
 
Overall McMaster went pilfering with 8 steals, to the Gaels' four and kept the heat blazing throughout. It was a hard-fought battle, and the Marauders came out on the wrong side tonight.
 
Looking ahead the Marauders will continue the double weekend, as they travel to Oshawa, Ont. to play the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks.