Box Score Written by: John Gaudes
WINNIPEG - With a 64 per cent shooting first half, the Bisons men's basketball team looked prime to start 2014 in the win column after struggling with their fall schedule.
A devastating last-second shot downed them, though, as the Trinity Western Spartans stormed from 16 down in the third quarter to win 85-84 on Friday, January 10 at Investors Group Athletic Centre.
With the win, the Spartans move to 6-5 on the year. Manitoba falls to 1-10.
With five seconds left in the game, Robert Rodriguez hit a leaning floater while being fouled - giving the Spartans just their second lead of the second half, and providing a dramatic game-winner. Rodriguez finished with 14 points and six rebounds on the night, while Mark Perrin led the team with 20 points.
Manitoba got a great shooting night from freshman
Andre Arruda, who had 22 points to lead all scorers, along with seven rebounds and five assists.
"[Andre's] probably the Canada West rookie of the year right now, I can't see any way he's not," said Bisons head coach
Kirby Schepp. "He's got a real bright future ahead of him, no question."
Amarjit Basi was right there with Arruda, scoring 21 of his own off the bench.
Dan Penner notched another double-double in the post, with 12 points and 11 boards.
Manitoba's hot shooting start was instigated by Arruda, who had seven of his team's first ten points as the Bisons jumped out to a 26-25 lead after ten minutes. They only heated up after that, with Basi coming off the bench to shoot 6-for-9 in the first half with 15 points. To their credit, though, Trinity Western hung close by keeping their turnovers down - committing just six to the Bisons 13 in the first half.
"Guys sharing the ball was the biggest thing. We made extra passes, they were overplaying defensively… and we got open shots out of it," said Schepp.
The Spartans then spent the second half slowly chipping away at the Manitoba lead. Missed Bisons free throws down the stretch will haunt this team, as they went 16-for-29 on the night - cooling off as the night stretched on. Rodriguez's shot with five seconds left was followed by a desperation three by Basi at the buzzer, which missed wide left.
The Bisons men's basketball team finish their weekend at home on Saturday, January 11 against the University of Fraser Valley Cascades. Tip is at 7 p.m. CST.
