TORONTO — Despite leading by 17 at the half, the Ryerson Rams failed to contain the Thunderwolves' 22-0 third-quarter run and dropped a 79-75 game on Saturday evening at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto.

Ryerson's Tevaun Kokko  (Scarborough, Ont.) led the Rams with 26 points on the night. 

Kokko came up big for the Rams in the first quarter, lighting up the Thunderwolves from beyond the arc in the opening 10 minutes of the game. Kokko would go five-for-six from three-point range, totalling 17 points in the first to help give the Rams a 31-13 lead. 

The Rams didn't see as much success in the second quarter but still maintained their lead through to the half. Lakehead outscored Ryerson 19-18 but the Rams held a steady 49-32 lead heading into halftime. Fourth-year guard Jayden Frederick (Scarborough, Ont.) led the Rams with 18 points after the second quarter on seven-for-eight shooting from the free-throw line. 

The Thunderwolves absolutely dominated the third. Their 22-0 five-minute run was the difference-maker in a tough third-quarter drought for the Rams, who struggled to capitalize on any of their offensive chances. Lakehead outscored the Rams 29-14 in the quarter, taking back the lead with just seconds remaining in the third. Ryerson pulled ahead 63-61 at the end of the quarter, but the streaking Thunderbirds weren't going down without a fight.

The teams exchanged chances in the fourth quarter but the Rams couldn't pull away by more than a point or two throughout the final 10 minutes. The team struggled to hit the shots they easily sunk in the first and second quarters, and the visiting Thunderwolves did their best to keep things square as the clock ticked down to zero. 

Lakehead's late push would be the difference-maker in what ended up being quite the contest. The Thunderwolves took their second win in as many nights on the Rams' home floor, packing their bags and heading back to Thunder Bay with a 79-75 win in the books. 

"We came up short," says head coach Borko Popic on the loss to Lakehead. "Credit to Lakehead for competing and fighting back tonight. [...] It's a 40-minute game and we have to fight until the end." 

"I think we performed well but it didn't go our way," says Kokko. "We need to come out, play hard and play consistently." 

The Rams will return to action November 8, 2019, as they host the Windsor Lancers at 8:00 p.m. at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.