OTTAWA – Calvin Epistola of Toronto scored a game-high 24 points as the Ottawa Gee-Gees unleashed a strong second half to overpower visiting McGill 93-62 in preseason men's university basketball at Montpetit Hall, Saturday.
 
McGill, which has now lost three consecutive games, dropped to 3-7 overall, including a 2-3 mark against Canadian opponents. Ottawa, which has only been bested by Bishop's thus far, improved to 10-4 overall.
 
With Ottawa winning the previous encounter 112-72 on Oct. 20, 2018, it was the first "back-to-back" victory by either team since 2003.

The score was tied 18-18 after the first quarter and McGill held a narrow 38-33 lead after two. But the Gee-Gees mounted a fierce comeback, winning the third frame 27-12 and then took the final quarter 33-12.
 
Epistola, a 5-foot-11, 165-pound point-guard, shot 8-for-13 from the field, sinking 6-of-9 from three-point range, and was a perfect 2-for-2 on free-throws. He was also credited with a pair of rebounds, one assist and one steal.
 
Teammates Kevin Civil and Guillaume Pépin added 21 and 15 points, respectively.
 
Sophomore Quarry Whyne of Montreal led McGill's offence with 14 points. The six-foot-five shooting guard was 5-for-15 from the field, including 3-for-5 from downtown. He also had nine rebounds and one steal.

Jamal Mayali of Toronto followed with a dozen points. The political science junior sunk three of five attempts from beyond the arc, corralled five rebounds and added three steals.

Ottawa had a huge 55-41 edge in rebounds, a 10-8 margin in steals and a favourable 19-12 advantage in turnovers. The hosts registered 28 points off turnovers and 40 off the bench compared to six and 21, respectively, for McGill.

The Gee-Gees shot 39.7 per cent (31/78), went 14-for-36 from downtown and 17-for-20 from the line. McGill shot 31.9 per cent from the field (22/69), made 10 of 23 three-pointers and was 8-for-15 from the free-throw line.

Ottawa begins its regular season in the OUA conference on Nov. 1 against Laurier. McGill will travel to Bangor, ME, on Nov. 3 for one final exhibition match again the University of Maine Black Bears at noon in the Cross Insurance Centre. The game will be followed by a women's tip-off between McGill and Maine at 2 p.m. It is believed to be the first time in school history that McGill is scheduled to play a men's and women's doubleheader on the road against an NCAA hoops opponent.

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