TORONTO — After going 1-1 last weekend against the best teams in the province, the red hot Ryerson Rams are preparing to face off against two close divisional opponents in the McMaster Marauders and the Brock Badgers this week in Toronto.
A jaw-dropping performance against the then-No. 5 ranked Ottawa Gee-Gees last weekend saw the Rams pull out a 25-point victory on home court on Friday night, going on to drop an 88-82 contest to the undefeated No. 1 Carleton Ravens the following evening. The six-point game was the Ravens' second-smallest margin of victory on the season and the smallest on the road in 2019-20.
Several Rams players have earned league-wide recognition for their performances of late, rising to the top of the OUA stats column after numerous incredible showings. Third-year transfer Tevaun Kokko (Markham, Ont.) currently leads the OUA with 24.1 points per game and ranks second in three-point percentage (45.7 percent), while fellow third-year Tanor Ngom (Dakar, Senegal) clocks in at second in the league in rebounds per game (11.4) and field goal percentage (60.8 percent). With 17.5 points per game, Ngom is one of just six players league-wide to average a double-double per contest.
This weekend presents the No. 9 ranked Rams with an opportunity to steal away wins against their closest division rivals before wrapping up the season with four inter-conference matchups. The first Central challenger is set to come to town on Wednesday evening, as the McMaster Marauders face off against the Rams in the OUA's Marquee Matchup of the week.
The Rams emerged with a 98-90 victory when these two teams last played on January 8 in Hamilton, and, just three weeks later, Ryerson and McMaster now sit tied for second in the division with 10-6 records on the year. Wednesday night's matchup is shaping up to be quite a battle, and with second place in the Central division up for grabs, the Rams will need to find a way to replicate their early January results at home against McMaster.
Another key matchup is set for Saturday night when the Brock Badgers come to town. Ryerson dropped a heartbreaking three-point game in St. Catharines when these two teams first met back in October, as the Rams suffered their first loss at the hands of the Badgers since November 2017. Brock now boasts a 9-7 record on the season, most recently dropping a 79-65 game to the Queen's Gaels last weekend. The Rams' stars will be put to the test on Saturday evening as the team sets out to avenge their first-semester loss against one of their closest rivals.
Both of this week's games will begin at 8:00 p.m. on the Coca-Cola Court at the Mattamy Athletic Centre. Tickets can be purchased here, and, as always, Ryerson students gain free admission with a valid OneCard.
