It was a testing weekend for the Gators, who now sit seventh on the ladder with a five and six record after dropping three in a row after winning four in a row before that.
Despite flashes of its attacking flair, Shepparton struggled to string together consistent stops at the defensive end, conceding 243 points across the two matches.
In Saturday’s clash with RMIT Bryce Brown erupted for 40 points on 16-of-30 shooting in a commanding offensive display.
The big man attacked the rim with intent all night, finishing through contact and providing a constant threat inside.
He was a bright spot in the loss, with head coach Josh Waight praising his aggression.
“He did a good job getting on the ring,” Waight said.
“We know he can be effective when he does that and that’s something we could probably go to more often.”
Taine Wattie added 23 points and 10 rebounds in another high-energy outing, while Eric Miraflores chipped in 12 points off the bench.
Ryan Batte contributed 15 points and 11 boards, helping Shepparton battle on the glass against a physical Redbacks.
The Gators jumped out to a 30-23 lead after the first quarter, but RMIT slowly clawed ahead through the middle quarters before sealing the result with a 35-point final term.
Sunday’s game against Wyndham was a tougher task again, with the host flexing its offensive firepower early and closing with a dominant fourth quarter.
Wyndham dropped 39 points in the first and 40 in the fourth, controlling the pace and finding repeated success in the paint.
Despite a promising second-quarter fightback, Shepparton couldn’t keep up with Wyndham, which picked up its third win of the season, sitting second last.
Batte remained one of Shepparton’s most reliable contributors, finishing with 23 points and 12 rebounds on 8-of-15 shooting.
Brown again scored 23, added five assists and tried to will his team back into the contest.
Wyndham guard Mayoum Mayoum absolutely torched the Gators in a stunning display, scoring 43 in 24 minutes, missing two of his 21 shots.
Waight said the defensive performance was the most disappointing takeaway from the double-header.
“It was a tough weekend,” he said.
“We showed signs when we moved the basketball, but we’re never going to win too many when you concede that many.
“We got beat in the paint and have to work on containing the ball better.”
While he acknowledged the team’s high expectations, Waight was focused on turning the page and sharpening its approach.
“We were disappointed in both games,” he said.
“It’s about being consistent, consistent ball movement, defending as a collective.
“We’ll work on that, find the positives, identify the areas for improvement and bounce back.”
The Gators will now prepare for another away game, this time against Blackburn on Saturday, May 31.
