The Bisons set the tone from the opening tip, racing out to a commanding 28–8 first-quarter lead. Manitoba was red-hot offensively, shooting a blistering 75% from three-point range (6-of-8) and 55.8% from the field (10-of-17), while the Herd’s smothering defense left MacEwan searching for answers.
The Griffins responded by switching defensive looks, finding some success in the second quarter with a half-court zone press that forced turnovers. MacEwan outscored the Bisons 22–20 in the frame, but Manitoba still carried a comfortable 48–30 lead into halftime.
Following the break, head coach Kirby Schepp made key adjustments to counter the Griffins’ pressure. The Bisons dissected the half-court press and outscored MacEwan 28–18 in the third quarter, extending their lead to 76–46 heading into the final period.
Coach Schepp emptied the bench in the fourth quarter, with all 12 players seeing action. The reserves continued to play at a high level, outscoring the Griffins 19–18 to close out a convincing 95–64 victory.
Darren Watts led all scorers with 22 points, including 20 in the first half. Mason Kraus recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 assists, while Ramogi Nyagudi added an impressive 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Overall, Manitoba shot 52.9% from the field, holding MacEwan to just 32.8%.
Post-game, Coach Schepp said:
“It was great to see the guys execute the game plan and play at a high level. We’ve struggled at times over the past couple of years to keep our foot on the gas, so it was encouraging to maintain momentum and get our younger players some quality minutes. Darren and Mason showed why they’re one of the best one-two punches in the country. We need to stay focused and continue improving the little things heading into tomorrow night. MacEwan has some big wins this season, and we expect a very different look on Saturday.”
With the win, Manitoba improves to 9–6 and remains tied with Calgary for fourth place in the Prairie Conference. MacEwan falls to 3–14 and remains in last place.
The Herd has now won four of its last five games in the new year and will look to extend that stretch to five victories tonight when they once again host the MacEwan Griffins at 7 p.m.
