ST. CATHARINES, Ont. — The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men's basketball team was taken down by the Brock Badgers in a 72-61 loss on Saturday evening in the Bob Davis Gymnasium.

TMU entered the game coming off a close win against the McMaster Marauders the day prior, and riding some positive momentum.

That momentum was cut short early against the Badgers, though. Brock got out to an early 5-0 lead, forcing the Bold to fight their way back.

They utilized the free throw line to help slow the game down and crawl their way into things once again, scoring six of their first fifteen at the stripe. By the end of the period, the Bold found themselves up 20-17.

Fifth-year forward Aaron Rhooms impressed during the comeback, notching seven points, one assist and one steal. The reigning OUA Player of the Year scored 25 points against the Marauders and finished with 18 against the Badgers.

After the Bold came back to make things close, the score remained tight for most of the second quarter. 

The Badgers played an extra-aggressive zone defence, looking to force Bold turnovers by sitting in passing lanes and making swipes at the ball. That pressure frazzled TMU's ball handlers, forcing some turnovers and bad shots.

Brock weren't the only ones playing impressive defence, though. The Bold forced the Badgers to rely on three-point jumpers, a type of shot that they've struggled to make so far in their short season. TMU's strategy was successful, as Brock finished with an abysmal shooting performance of 9 for 40 from three (22.5%).

With both teams locking down on the defensive side, the score didn't grow much for the rest of the second. 

TMU found themselves down two in the final possession before half, but a baseline drive from Rhooms opened up third-year guard/forward Deandre Goulbourne in the left corner. He knocked down the three at the halftime buzzer to spark some positive momentum into his team as they headed to the locker room.

Goulbourne impressed in the game, finishing with 13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 1 steal. His ability to score in isolation and defend at the point of attack will no doubt play a massive role in TMU's success this season. 

The start of the third quarter was all Badgers. Their intense defence forced TMU into multiple shots late in the shot clock, and even a few shot clock violations. 

With every strong defensive possession from Brock, the hometown crowd in St. Catherine's cheered louder and louder. The score slowly began to point in the direction of the Badgers after staying close all game up to that point.

Rhooms was forced to sit after notching his third foul midway through the period, adding to the Bold's woes.

The Badgers climbed to a 13-point lead with two minutes remaining in the third quarter and TMU went scoreless in that time frame, seldom for a fancy post hook by backup big man Andrejs Silconoks.

The Bold finally regained their momentum with less than a minute left in the period. A block from Silconoks led into a transition three for Goulbourne, prompting a Badgers timeout and sparking some hope into the blue & gold.

TMU subbed Rhooms back in and opted for a full-court press immediately after the timeout, forcing a Brock turnover that made for an open Rhooms layup. Despite the bad start to the quarter, the Bold were able to use their hustle and effort to get themselves into a rhythm.

The third quarter ended with the Badgers leading 52-46.

That score gap shrank almost instantaneously, though. Rhooms came out firing in the fourth, scoring a three-pointer and open layup before assisting Goulbourne on a three to tie the game up at 54-54.

It was then centre Aidan Wilson's turn to get hot for the Bold, logging a clutch block as well as an and-one layup as the game entered clutch time. 

Despite shooting poorly all game, the Badgers finally knocked down a three to go up 64-60. A layup from Wilson kept the Bold in the game, but Brock notched an offensive rebound and layup of their own just the next possession. With just over one minute remaining, TMU found themselves down four.

In a must-score situation for the Bold, the Badgers showcased their impressive defence once again, forcing a turnover into a layup and effectively sealing the game. Brock ended up taking home a 71-62 win, outplaying the Bold in the clutch.

TMU Head Coach David DeAveiro will be able to take a lot from the matchup into the rest of the season. If the squad can clean up their ball control and take advantage of high-pressure defensive teams like the Badgers, then they'll be set up for success in the future.

The Bold now have six days of rest before suiting up for their home opener against the Lakehead Thunderwolves on October 31. The game tips off at 8 p.m. in the Mattamy Athletic Centre, and TMU students can enter for free with their OneCards.