The Manitoba Bisons bounced back in a big way on Saturday night, defeating the Calgary Dinos 66–59 in a hard-fought contest at home to earn the weekend split and improve to 5–4 on the season.
Calgary came out strong, edging Manitoba 22–18 after the first quarter. But the Bisons responded with a dominant second frame, outscoring the Dinos 19–5 to take a 37–27 lead into halftime.
Manitoba kept rolling early in the third, stretching the margin to as many as 20 points with sharp ball movement and a renewed defensive presence.
Foul trouble and a few questionable calls slowed the Herd’s momentum late in the third, opening the door for Calgary to claw back.
The Dinos showed life in the fourth quarter, closing the gap to just four points with under a minute remaining. But forced to foul in the final stretch, Calgary couldn’t overcome Manitoba’s composure as the Bisons knocked down key buckets and secured the win with timely defensive stops.
Calgary struggled with consistency throughout the night, shooting just 33% from the field and enduring long scoring droughts. Hayden Franson was a bright spot for the Dinos, finishing with 20 points—including 5-of-8 from three—and seven rebounds.
Manitoba, meanwhile, found success from long range, burying 11 three-pointers to Calgary’s eight and controlling the glass with a 51–39 rebounding advantage.
Daren Watts led the Herd with a standout performance, recording a double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds.
Brandt Lenz continued his strong play while filling in for injured guard Mason Kraus, providing steady minutes on both ends of the floor.
In a defensive battle, the shooting numbers reflected the grind. Manitoba finished at 35.9% from the field, 36.7% from three, and 60% from the line. Calgary countered with marks of 33.3% overall, 28.6% from deep, and 58.3% at the stripe.
With the win, Manitoba continues to build momentum as they push deeper into the conference schedule.
⭐ Bisons Top Performers
Daren Watts
23 pts • 11 rebs • 2 asts • 1 stl
Brandt Lenz
15 pts • 6 asts • 5 rebs • 1 stl
Cieran O’Hara
9 pts • 7 rebs • 3 asts
Tito Obasoto
8 pts • 5 rebs • 3 asts
Click here for
Click here for
Box Score
The Herd is back in action next Friday, December 5 against the Wesmen (6-3) at IGAC:
Women’s Game – 6:00 PM
Men’s Game – 8:00 PM
Go Bisons!