Bisons put up a valiant fight but fell just short against the No. 3 nationally ranked Wesmen. Once again, they proved they can compete with the country’s best, and we remain hopeful their efforts will translate into future success.
In front of a near-capacity crowd of 3000, the game was a battle from start to finish. The Bisons led 18-16 after the first quarter, held a narrow 33-32 edge at halftime, and stayed in front 44-43 heading into the final frame. Both teams played relentless defense, limiting each other to just 33% shooting from the field. Statistically, the matchup was close across the board, with two key differences: the Wesmen dominated the offensive glass with 12 rebounds to the Bisons’ 5, and Wesmen capitalized at the free-throw line, converting 13-of-14 (93%) compared to the Herd’s 10-of-18 (56%).
Shawn Marahan caught fire for the Wesmen, leading all scorers with 22 points, including 11 points in the final 10 minutes and a clutch deep three-pointer and an “and-one” with 37 seconds left.
Down by two with just eight seconds remaining, the Bisons had one final opportunity to tie or take the lead. Mason Kraus launched a three-point attempt in the closing moments, but the shot didn’t fall, sealing a hard-fought 62-60 victory for the Wesmen.
With the win, Winnipeg improves to 13-2, while the Bisons drop to 11-4, holding third place in the Prairie Division behind Winnipeg and Calgary.
The rematch goes tomorrow at Winnipeg at 7 pm as the Bisons attempt to win the season series. The girls start things off at 5 pm.
