Box Score Fifth year Dan Penner recorded a double-double in his final university home game as the Manitoba Bisons rallied to post a 70-67 win over the Winnipeg Wesmen on Thursday, February 13 night at the Investors Group Athletic Centre (U of M campus).
Penner, who was also named the Duckworth Challenge Player of the Game for Manitoba, led the Bisons (6-15) with 16 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Wyatt Anders chipped in with 12 points and eight boards.
"Not only are they our cross-town rivals, but they are a good team," said Bisons head coach Kirby Schepp. "In terms of program building and for our young guys, it's nice to get a win in front of a nice crowd."
Andrew Cunningham had a game-high 20 points as he was named Winnipeg's Duckworth Challenge Player of the Game. The loss cements the Wesmen (13-8) as the fourth seed in the Canada West's Prairie Division. They will head to Victoria to face the Vikes in the opening round of the playoffs next weekend.
In the fourth, Winnipeg jumped ahead early and had chances to pull away but Amarjit (AJ) Basi prevented the game from slipping away. Basi hit a pair of threes in the three minute mark to keep the Bisons within three points.
Manitoba would then go ahead two minutes left when Penner scored on a teardrop in the paint to put the Bisons ahead by one. After trading baskets on each end, Penner shot-faked his defender and scored to give the home team a three point lead.
With 14 seconds left, fifth year Steven Wesley air-balled a three point attempt from the corner but the ball bounced out of bounds of a Manitoba defender. Off the ensuing in-bounds play, the visitors missed another three but collected a long rebound.
However, Wesley would commit a travelling violation while Winnipeg was trying to reset, giving the ball to Manitoba and allowing them to ice the game.
"We didn't take care of the ball for three quarters but down the stretch we did," said Schepp. "We didn't turn the ball over much late and we changed defences a bit, which bothered them."
The teams headed to the locker room for the half tied at 31. Both teams shot well in the first half, with Manitoba hitting 42.9% from the field and Winnipeg at 40%. Cunningham led all scorers at the break with 10.
Manitoba honoured a pair of players on Thursday night. Before his final home game, Schepp and the Bisons recognized fifth-year forward Dan Penner at half court. At halftime, Bisons fourth year guard Amir Ali was awarded with the Jack A. Lewis Basketball Scholarship.
The Bisons also recorded a 5-0 sweep in the Duckworth Challenge, an annual series between the two schools in basketball, volleyball, and women's soccer. Manitoba has previously swept the event in the 1991-92 and 2009-10 seasons.
The Bisons and Wesmen will conclude their respective regular seasons tomorrow night when they face each other in a rematch at the Duckworth Centre (University of Winnipeg). Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. CT.
