The Bisons mounted a spirited fourth-quarter comeback but came up just short against UQAM, falling 80–75 in the second game of their Montreal pre-season trip.
UQAM’s pre-season record improves to 2–3, while the Herd falls to 0–2.
Manitoba trailed 19–11 after the opening quarter and 36–29 at halftime. UQAM maintained its eight-point advantage through three quarters, leading 54–46 heading into the final period.
The Herd saved its best basketball for the fourth.
After shooting just 23.1% from the field in the opening quarter, Manitoba steadily improved throughout the game and connected on an impressive 54.2% of its shots in the fourth quarter, outscoring UQAM 29–26.
The Bisons made a late push behind Brandt Lenz, who scored seven consecutive points to pull Manitoba to within two with just 1:30 remaining. The comeback ultimately fell short, but the strong finish was an encouraging sign from a young Bison squad continuing to gain valuable pre-season experience.
Ramogi Nyagudi, pictured above, led the Herd with 17 points, adding four rebounds and two blocked shots.
Samuel Desrochers continued his strong play in Montreal with 14 points, five rebounds and four assists, while Lenz finished with 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Titus Heron also contributed 10 points off the bench, while Taven Vigilance and Jonam Kazadi each scored nine. Vigilance added a team-high six rebounds and three assists.
Manitoba shot 43.1% from the field, compared with 41.2% for UQAM, and held a 42–34 advantage in points in the paint. The Bisons also scored 17 points off UQAM turnovers.
One of the biggest differences came on the boards. UQAM outrebounded Manitoba 48–36, including 17 offensive rebounds, leading to a 23–16 advantage in second-chance points. UQAM also received 45 points from its bench, compared with 16 for the Herd.
The loss wraps up Manitoba’s Montreal pre-season trip. Despite coming up short, the Bisons showed considerable improvement as the game progressed and nearly completed an impressive fourth-quarter comeback.
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The Herd now turns its attention to hosting the inaugural Matthew Loewen Invitational Tournament next week at IGAC, featuring Thompson Rivers, Lakehead and Winnipeg.
Go Bisons!