It was everything fans expect from a Bison–Wesmen showdown — high intensity, physical play, dramatic swings, and a raucous, nearly sold-out crowd at IGAC. In one of the most entertaining games of the season, the Manitoba Bisons rose to the occasion, handing the nationally ranked No. 4 Winnipeg Wesmen a 90–85 defeat.
Despite the Wesmen entering as favourites, the Bisons showed early that rankings mean little in a crosstown rivalry. Manitoba set the tone from the opening tip, jumping out to a 28–20 lead after the first quarter while shooting an efficient 55 per cent from the field, compared to Winnipeg’s 47 per cent.
The momentum shifted in the second quarter as the Bisons struggled to find their scoring rhythm. Winnipeg’s smothering defensive pressure disrupted Manitoba’s offence, and the Wesmen capitalized by outscoring the Herd 24–11 to take a 44–39 advantage into halftime.
The Wesmen pushed their lead to as many as nine points in the third quarter, but the Bisons refused to let the game slip away. Manitoba narrowly won the frame 26–25, trimming the deficit to four and heading into the final quarter down just 69–65.
Taven Vigilance, above, provided a spark off the bench scoring 10 points.
The fourth quarter belonged to the Herd. Fueled by relentless defensive pressure and timely execution, the Bisons outscored the Wesmen 25–16 in the final frame to complete the comeback and secure the 90–85 victory.
Obasoto delivered his usual energy and defensive presence, while contributing 12 points offensively.
Defense and rebounding were key themes throughout the night, with both teams delivering highlight-reel blocks and battling fiercely on the glass. Cieran O’Hara led all players with 13 rebounds, anchoring Manitoba’s effort inside.
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Nyagudi attacks the basket as O’Hara positions himself for a potential rebound.
Offensively, Mason Kraus paced the Bisons with 23 points and added a game-high 10 assists. Ramoji Nyagudi contributed 19 points and made several critical plays on the defensive end. Winnipeg’s Kato Jaro led all scorers with 31 points.
Kraus hit several key three’s in the second half when needed most.
Manitoba finished the night shooting 51.5 per cent from the field and 34.4 per cent from three, while holding the Wesmen to 43.2 per cent shooting overall.
Post-game, head coach Kirby Schepp reflected on the gritty nature of the win.
“It always seems to be a scrappy, ugly game versus Winnipeg, and this was no different. We tried to wear them down throughout the game, and I was really proud of the effort on defense. We kept the pressure on right to the final buzzer, and I think it helped us late.”
Schepp also highlighted key individual performances.
“Mason Kraus struggled in the first half but came up really big in the second when we needed him. Ramoji Nyagudi made a number of really big plays defensively, and Cieran O’Hara did another great job on the boards. What we lacked in execution, we made up for in effort tonight. We need to be better and more disciplined running our offense on Saturday.”
With the win, Manitoba improves to 11–6 on the season, sitting fourth in the Prairie Conference. The loss was Winnipeg’s first since November, dropping the Wesmen to 13–4, though they remain atop the conference standings. The victory also marks the Bisons’ sixth win in their last seven games in the new year.
The Herd will look to keep the momentum rolling on Saturday afternoon, tipping off at 3 p.m. at the Duckworth Centre in the back half of the Duckworth Challenge double-header. |
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⭐ Bisons Top Performers
Mason Kraus
23 pts • 10 asts • 4 rebs • 1 stl
Ramoji Nyyagudi
17 pts • 6 rebs • 5 blks • 5 stls
Darren Watts
14 pts • 5 rebs • 4 asts • 2 stls
Tito Obasoto
12 pts • 3 rebs • 2 asts
Taven Vigilance
10 pts • 1 reb
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