Hoops: Windsor washed away

Clearly, being ranked No. 5 in the in the media poll is the kiss of death. First Toronto lost out on the weekend, now the Windsor Lancers are looking at an early spring after being upset 77-71 by Western tonight in the OUA West semi-final.

Western, who'll face Brock on Saturday in a game to go the Final 8, is reprising the football Mustangs' playoff run so badly that it's not even funny. They barely beat an average McMaster team at home, but now they're 40 minutes (be it against the Badgers or in a potential play-in game vs. Ottawa) from nationals. It is clutch, though. As cishoops.ca notes in its game write-up, for the second straight game the Mustangs got a late three when they absolutely had to have one, this time from Alex Brzozowicz.

Greg Layson over at Big Man on Campus did a liveblog of Brock''s 78-74 win over Guelph in other semi-final. (Layson, for one, has touted Brock's chances from the get-go this season.)

Brock guard Brad Rootes gave a fifth-year senior effort. His 17 points, 11 assists basically helped the Badgers nurse a double-digit lead until Guelph made a late run.

Not to look past this weekend, but if Carleton beats Ottawa in the OUA East final, then there will be a play-in game involving the Gee-Gees and the Brock-Western loser, with the latter hosting. Ottawa beat Western by 17 points at home earlier this season, but split a pair with the Badgers, including an 11-point loss in St. Catharines on a night when Rootes shot 1-for-12. Suffice to say, Western is probably a better matchup for the Gee-Gees.

(Now some poor SOB sportswriter at one of the Ottawa dailies is caught in the middle of a cross-town rivalry.)