Wednesday night saw the Niagara College men's basketball program improve to 2-0 with an 81-58 road victory over the University of Toronto-Mississauga Eagles. The matchup was the first ever meeting between Niagara and UTM, as the Eagles are making their debut in the OCAA this season.
"UTM came out fired up with a big home crowd which carried them the whole first half" said Niagara Knights head coach Mike Hurley. "We did not play well to start the game and in the first quarter and we definitely didn't play as a team. We got a little better in the third and we were able to find our rhythm and hit our stride in the fourth quarter."
The Knights were led offensively by fourth year guard Levi Mukuna (Hamilton). The ACMT grad finished with a game high 21 points and eight rebounds. Mukuna has enjoyed a fantastic start to the 2017-18 season, averaging 19 points-per-game.
The two teams traded leads through the early stages, but a dominant fourth quarter by Niagara saw the Knights outscore the Eagles in the final frame 30-12 to secure the 23 point victory.
For the second consecutive game, Welland native Danny Lokole gave the Knights a significant boost off the bench. The Notre Dame product turned in 15 points and seven rebounds.
The win moves Niagara to 2-0 on the season and into a tie for first in the OCAA West Diviison. Up next the Knights will travel to London to take on the Fanshawe Falcons on November 2nd.