Second-year forward Tyson Hinz scored a game-high 29 points as the top ranked Carleton Ravens continued their 10-game undefeated streak, defeating the University of Toronto Varsity Blues 93-73 Jan. 8.
The second-year forward dominated the game from the tip-off in this battle of Ontario University Athletics East juggernauts, scoring 23 of his 29 points in the first half.
In addition, Hinz’s 13 rebounds led the Ravens and his four assists ranked only behind fellow starters Philip Scrubb and Cole Hobin, who recorded five assists apiece.
Toronto seemed to recognize that Hinz was on his game and attempted to contain the Ravens’ top player by repeatedly fouling him. However, as his free throw percentage would suggest, it did not slow him down in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.
Hinz scored on eight of 10 free throw attempts and frustrated Toronto’s defensive stars all night long.
“When they play him that way, then he’s going to score,” Ravens head coach Dave Smart said. “If they’re going to start running at him, then other guys have got to make shots.”
And they did.
Elliot Thompson added 14 points for the Ravens, including four three-pointers, and Hobin contributed 12 points for an offensively-powered Carleton club that built a 10-point lead in the first quarter and never looked back.
The team eclipsed the 90-point mark for the first time since Nov. 19 and also received offensive contributions from Scrubb, with 11 points.
Willy Manigat and Kyle Smendziuk also scored eight points apiece off the bench.
Meanwhile, the Varsity Blues got 16 points from Andrew Wasik and added 14 from Justin Holmes in a losing cause. The fourth quarter seemed to be their best, statistically.
But, despite picking apart the Ravens defensively, the Blues were unable to climb back from the daunting 18-point deficit in which they found themselves after the third quarter.
The loss was only the third of the season for Toronto, which now sits six points out of first place in the East Division.
“Defensively, I don’t think we’ve done a great job. We do it when we need to do it and that’s fine when you’re playing good offense,” Smart said. “But at crucial times, we just let up defensively and we can’t do that.”
“We’re a long way away from being in any position to win a national championship,” Smart continued. “We’ll have to play three teams like that in a row, and you can’t have [defensive] lapses like that.”