TORONTO — The No. 4 nationally ranked Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men's basketball team extended their win streak to three after a hard-fought 72-65 overtime victory over the Laurentian University Voyageurs.

Aaron Rhooms led the team with a commanding double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds, while Gabriel Gutsmore followed closely with 15 points.

Laurentian entered the matchup riding a strong 6-1 November and sitting third in the OUA East, ready to bring the heat against the Bold. TMU, however, was adamant to defend home court and keep their momentum alive.

The first quarter was just the beginning of a tight and physical matchup. Kevin Toth got things started for the Bold with a three-pointer, igniting a run that put TMU ahead 12-6 after Gutsmore's jump shot at 3:42. But Laurentian quickly responded, stealing the lead in the final minute. The first quarter ended with a single-point margin, 18-17 for the Voyageurs. 

Back-and-forth play continued on into the second frame, both teams taking their turns with the lead. Toth and Gutsmore continued to generate offence, TMU having to quickly reply to Laurentian to ensure the game stayed close. DeAndre Goulbourne drilled a 3-point jump shot at the seven-minute mark to equalize. Landon Wright make several strong defensive plays, including a key block to stop Laurentian's attack to the rim. 

Late in the quarter, TMU's shots stopped falling, allowing Laurentian to capitalize from beyond the arc in an attempt to sneak ahead. 

The first half closed out with the Voyageurs up by two, 30-28. 

It was clear after the first half that the second half was going to go down to the wire. The Voyageurs built a small lead early in the third, but a TMU timeout at the seven-minute mark reset the tone.

"The offence comes through the defence," said Bold Head Coach Dave DeAveiro when asked about the shift. "When you're playing defence, you get opportunities to go in transition, then shots are easy."

Aidan Wilson produced a fast-break dunk, and shortly afterwards, Rhooms found confidence in his shot, netting a three-pointer. Despite the Bold regaining their flow, Laurentian remained ahead at the end of the third, 49-46. 

In the fourth quarter, each minute of play was as important as the next. Andrejs Silconoks opened with a dunk, and Gutsmore continued to stay steady. Wright stood out, nailing a clutch three at 4:55. 

"It felt amazing," said Wright, on netting the three. "It left my hands, and I felt as soon as it left, I was like 'Yeah, that's going in.'"

Rhooms also battled relentlessly in the paint, earning second-chance points, and Goulbourne added a statement dunk with 2:45 remaining. Regulation ended with the teams all tied up, 60-60.

Overtime was a full display of Bold basketball dominance. TMU locked down defensively, holding Laurentian scoreless until the final minute. 

"The five minutes really tested our mental toughness," said Coach DeAveiro. "Our defence in overtime was really, really good."

Gutsmore lit up the court during overtime play, putting up eight consecutive points, two of them being back-to-back threes. 

"I feel like in times like that, the energy's tense, everyone's tense, and I feel like you just got to relax and breathe through it. Just let my game flow," said Gustmore on his overtime performance.

The Bold found themselves victorious after the added frame, protecting home court 72-65. 

"When it comes to overtime, it just ends up with who has the biggest heart and wants it more," said Gutsmore. "I feel like my team, my guys, we wanted it more."

The Bold will have a quick turnaround as they host the Nipissing Lakers this Saturday, Nov. 29. Game time is set for 8 p.m. at the Mattamy Athletic Centre. TMU Students get in free with their OneCard.