NORTH BAY, Ont. - The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men's basketball team steamrolled their way to a win on the opening day of the OUA season on Friday in a 80-63 rout over the Nipissing Lakers. 

Five members of the Bold reached double-digits in the point column in the victory, including a double-double performance from Galand Okeugo to open up his second season with the blue and gold. 

Maxime Louis-Jean and Gabriel Gutsmore each picked up 12 points in the win, while Aaron Rhooms found the scoresheet for 11 while going 3-4 from the free throw line.

After posting a meager two points in his first official quarter with the Bold, Javier Gilgeous-Glasgow exploded in the second quarter for 14 points to help power the Bold to a 47-36 halftime lead and suck all the life from the Robert J. Surtees Student Athletic Centre.

Despite picking up a dominant 23-point performance from Darnaz Mabanza, Nipissing were unable to squeeze out a win on their home court, in large part, due to their inability to hold the visitors in check throughout the width of the paint. 

The Lakers surrendered 52 points to the Bold within the confines of the arch and sent the visitors to the line 18 times as both areas became a launching pad for TMU to vault themselves further and further into the lead. 

Nipissing's deficit wouldn't change all that much in the final 25 minutes of action with the Bold pulling away as far as 18 points from their North Bay opponent to cruise into their first victory of the season.

As for the Bold, David DeAveiro's side was able to hold his opposition to under 65 points for the fifth time in the last six games and pick up 31 defensive rebounds on the night. Clamping down on the backcourt has been a major talking point for the Bold so far this season, and so far, has led the group down a different path of success in 2024. 

The group will now head a couple of hours east as they prepare for a Saturday-night tilt with the Laurentian Voyageurs at 8 p.m. 

Action can be streamed live on OUA.tv.