WINDSOR – The learning curve for any young basketball team can be steep. The Guelph Gryphons women are no different. Guelph had its moments Saturday in Windsor but in the end, a rough shooting night, turnovers, and a long-distance shooting show from the Lancers cost the Gryphons in an 87-69 loss at the St. Denis Centre.
 
Head coach Mark Walton said that games like these, that feature mistakes and some bad luck, are all part of the process. But one thing that wasn't lacking from his young Gryphons was intensity.
 
"Our compete level is much better than it was last season," said Walton, who has an young, evolving lineup with two rookie guards. "We did lots of good things."
 
First-year shooting guard Burke Bechard led Guelph with 16 points, as well as posting team highs in assists (three), blocks (two) and steals (four). She also logged a game-high 36 minutes. Guards Sarah Holmes and Skyla Minaker, the other rookie playing the point, had 13 and 12 points respectively, while Haley Belyk and post player Ashley Wheeler chipped in 10 points each.

 
The balanced scoring was welcome. Unfortunately, the Gryphons didn't shoot the ball well after a fantastic opening quarter and they were left behind by the experienced Lancers, who also managed to knock down 12 of 17 three-pointers (70.6 per cent). Guelph was simply cold from the field, hitting just 33.8 per cent of their shots (26 for 77).
 
"We started well," Walton said of an excellent first quarter in which Guelph outscored the hosts 21-12. "In the second quarter, they came out with a press and we just turned it over too many times. Trying to play catch up against a team with that much experience is difficult."
 
Windsor scored 31 in the decisive second quarter, including a long three-point buzzer-beater from Kaylee Anagnostopoulos that sent the Lancers into half-time with an 11-point lead at 43-32. Windsor would push it up to as many as 27 in the second half. Despite the loss, the Gryphons had positives to take home. They out rebounded Windsor 38-34 and created 25 turnovers.
 
'We got a lot of shots – we just didn't make enough," Walton said of the 77 attempts from the field to Windsor's 55.
 
Guelph will be able to improve that poise when third-year guard Ivana Vujadinovic returns from an injury. Walton was happy that fourth-year forward Quincy Sickles-Jarvis made it back into the lineup Saturday after returning from an injury of her own but she was limited to nine minutes. With a full rotation back, Walton expects the progress to continue.
 
The Gryphons make the trip to the nation's capital next week for a two against Carleton and Ottawa. The games on Friday, Nov. 3 and Saturday, Nov. 4 start at 6 pm.