HAMILTON, Ont. — The McMaster Marauders (3-12) took on the Algoma Thunderbirds (0-14) Monday afternoon in Burridge Gymnasium.

The game started with energy from both teams, but the Marauders took an early lead thanks to Mike Demagus' (Scarborough, Ont.) three-pointer. Tyler Garcia (Mississauga, Ont.) followed up with a three-point jumper, putting McMaster ahead 10-4. While the Thunderbirds applied pressure, the Marauders' strong defence and strategic play allowed them to maintain control. The score at the end of the first quarter was McMaster 18, Algoma 8.

The second quarter began slowly, but AY Osunde (Scarborough, Ont.) extended the Marauder lead with a layup minutes into the period. McMaster relied on sharp passing to keep the ball out of the Thunderbirds' hands. Back-to-back three-pointers from Osunde gave the Marauders a 22-point lead, and they finished the quarter with a 42-18 advantage.

Riaz Saliu (Oshawa, Ont.) sparked the action in the third quarter with a layup, followed by a jumper from Brendan Amoyaw (Winnipeg, Man.). The Marauders pulled ahead significantly, leaving the Thunderbirds determined to catch up. Daniel Graham (Hamilton, Ont.) added a three-pointer, putting McMaster up 53-27. The score at the end of the third quarter was 61-34.

In the fourth quarter, the Thunderbirds increased the pressure, but the Marauders remained dominant and finished the game strong with a final score of 71-54.

The Marauders will face the Toronto Varsity Blues (4-10) in Toronto, Ont., on Jan. 25.