When momentum started to slip, Coach Schepp wasted no time calling a timeout to calm his players, reset the tempo, and get the Herd back to their disciplined brand of basketball.
The Herd secured a much-needed 81–70 victory over the Saskatchewan Huskies in their home opener last night.
Manitoba came out strong, taking a commanding 26–18 lead after the first quarter. However, some costly turnovers and missed opportunities inside during the second quarter prevented the Bisons from pulling away, allowing the Huskies to close the gap. Manitoba led 44–38 at halftime.
The Herd regrouped after the break, tightening up on both ends of the court. A strong third quarter saw them outscore Saskatchewan 18–10 to build a 62–48 lead heading into the fourth.
The Bisons stretched the lead to as much as 19 points in the final frame, giving key starters a chance to rest while others gained valuable playing time.
The Bisons’ dynamic duo, Watts and Kraus, set the tone with confident, disciplined play on both ends of the court. After missing a few early looks from deep, Watts adjusted his game and went to work inside, attacking the rim with purpose and finishing strong. He poured in 23 points, shooting an impressive 10-of-15 (67%) from the field, including 20 points in the paint and 3 from the line.
Kraus, meanwhile, caught fire from long range—draining 6 of 9 three-pointers and finishing 8-of-12 (67%) overall for 23 points. He also came up big defensively, swiping four key steals in the second half to help the Herd put the game out of reach.
Defensively, Cieran O’Hara turned in a strong performance, holding Huskies big man Easton Thimm to just 10 points.
While the Bisons showed flashes of smart, controlled basketball and their clear potential, periods of inconsistent play and unforced turnovers kept the Huskies within reach. Still, the Herd closed it out convincingly to earn a well-deserved win in front of their home crowd.
⭐ Bisons Top Performers
Mason Kraus
23 pts • 6 rebs • 5 stls • 5 asts
Daren Watts
23 pts • 3 rebs • 6 asts • 1 stl
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Box Score
The Bisons improved their record to 2–2, while the Huskies fell to 1–4.
The two teams face off again tonight at 8 p.m. — and it promises to be another exciting matchup!
Several alumni were in attendance last night, and we hope to see even more members of the Herd family out this evening to cheer on the team.
Reserved Alumni Seating:
Cheer on the Herd from the reserved alumni section, located directly behind the Bisons’ bench.
Free Bisons Tickets for Alumni!
Receive two complimentary tickets for any 2025–26 Bisons home game.
2025-26 tickets
Use promo code UMALUMNI25 when reserving your tickets.
Can’t make it to the game? Catch all the action live on CanWest TV