Box Score SASKATOON – AJ Basi's three-pointer with one tick of the clock remaining lifted the visiting University of Manitoba Bisons to a 91-88 win over the No. 7 University of Saskatchewan Huskies men's basketball on Friday, November 6 night at the PAC in the first game of the 2015-16 Canada West regular season.
Basi connected three times from beyond the arc in the final quarter and finished the night with 22 points.
Manitoba outscored the Huskies 26-19 in the fourth quarter. Saskatchewan led 72-71 with just under eight minutes to go before the Bisons went on a 10-0 run to take the lead midway through the fourth. The Huskies battled back toe lead 88-85 before Basi hit back-to-back three's in the last minute to propel the Bisons to the win.
A fast paced back-and-forth game featured plenty of scoring runs. The Huskies lead early before Manitoba took advantage of some Huskie turnovers to claw back. Saskatchewan would again spurt ahead 27-18 in the first half, before the Bisons once again brought it back to two midway through the second. The Bisons would leave 47-44.
Manitoba started the fourth quarter hot, jumping out to an 81-72 lead. Saskatchewan would get ahead but the last second dagger by Basi ended any opening night celebration plans by the hometown Huskies.
Basi scored 22 points to lead the Bisons on 9-of-18 shooting. Wyatt Anders recorded a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. Anders went 9-of-10 from the free throw line.
Fifth-year guard Ostertag poured in a game high 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting and added four assists. Shawn Lathan recorded a double-double in his first Canada West game with the Huskies. Lathan finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
The Bisons shot 51% as a team, while the Huskies finished off the night shooting 47% from the floor. The game featured 14 lead changes.
The two squads meet up again Saturday night at the PAC at 8 p.m. CT.
