Bisons (3–3) fell behind early and were never able to recover, dropping an 87–71 decision to the Lethbridge Pronghorns (3–4) on Friday night.
Lethbridge set the tone immediately, out-shooting the Bisons and capitalizing at the free-throw line, where they cashed in 24 of 33 attempts compared to Manitoba’s 12 of 24. Turnovers proved costly as well, with 23 Manitoba giveaways fueling Pronghorn momentum throughout the game.
The Herd struggled out of the gate, falling behind 22–9 after the first quarter while shooting just 16.7% (2-12) from the field and 41.7% (5-12) from the stripe. Lethbridge, meanwhile, shot 46.2% (6-13) from the floor and 77.8% (7-9) from the line in the opening frame - numbers that helped them seize control early and carry a comfortable lead the rest of the way.
Despite the loss, Manitoba did hold a 43–38 edge on the boards, showing their presence inside. Offensively, the Bisons were led by Mason Kraus, who delivered 19 points and 8 assists, while Taven Vigilance (pictured above) matched him with 19 points of his own.
Lethbridge countered with a balanced attack, placing five players in double figures. Joe Lemieux led the charge with 15 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists, providing steady production on both ends of the floor.
Adding to Manitoba’s difficulties, starter Cieran O’Hara went down with an early injury, and the Bisons quickly found themselves in foul trouble - factors that further limited their ability to generate rhythm.
Afterward, Coach Kirby Schepp noted the offensive struggles:
“We did not move the ball as well as we would like tonight, and it resulted in not getting good shots.”
The Bisons will look to regroup and clean up the turnovers as they prepare for their rematch against Lethbridge tonight.