The Bison basketball teams complete the first half of the 2016-17 Canada West conference regular season with a home-and-home series against the Winnipeg Wesmen. Starting on Thursday, December 1 at the Investors Group Athletic Centre (U of Manitoba campus), Manitoba host Winnipeg with the women's game will be at 6 p.m. CT and the men's game is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT. Tickets available at the door of IGAC. On Saturday Dec. 3 for the second portion of the annual Duckworth Challenge, the women's start at 5 p.m. CT and men's at 7 p.m. CT.
The Bison men's basketball team (2-6) has already earned a win over a U Sports Top 10 team (Calgary on the road) so far this season and tied for 13th spot in the Canada West conference standing as the play third place Winnipeg (6-2). Manitoba went 2-0 against Winnipeg last conference season (W 79-65 at home on Feb. 5/16; OTW 82-74 on road on Feb. 6/16). The Herd last lost to Winnipeg in the Duckworth Challenge in 2014-15.
In this conference men's basketball season, the Bisons are seventh in scoring offence at 79.3 points per game and 15th in scoring defence at 82.4 points per game. In 3-point percentage, Manitoba is fifth at 35.8% and eighth in field goal percentage at 42.6%. In Canada West steals per game, Manitoba is fifth at 9.0; in assists per game, Manitoba is 14th with 11.6 per game and in rebounds per game; Manitoba is 14th in conference at 36.5; blocks per game, the Bisons are tied for 15th at 1.6. I
ndividually, co-captain Justus Alleyn is 14th in conference scoring at 15.8 points per game while Keith Omoerah is tied for 19th at 14.9 point per game and co-captain AJ Basi is 30th at 13.5 pts./game. Omoerah is third with 33.3 minutes played per game while Basi (31.6) is tenth and Alleyn (31.3) is 13th. Omoerah is seventh with 7.9 rebounds per Basi and Omoerah are T-6th with 2.3 steals per game. Omoerah in tenth spot in 3-point percentage at 45.7%.
The Bison women's basketball team (1-7) seeks their second win of the conference season against #9 Winnipeg (8-0). This the second consecutive week that Manitoba will face an undefeated team in conference play.
Manitoba went 0-2 against Winnipeg last season (L 69-65 at home on Feb. 5/16; L 74-63 on road on Feb. 6/16). The Herd last defeated Winnipeg in the Duckworth Challenge during the 2013-14 edition. The last time the Herd defeated the Wesmen in conference women's basketball play was in the 2013-14 season when the Bisons won 69-66 at home (Feb. 13/14) in a Duckworth Challenge contest.
In this conference women's basketball season, the Bisons are 14th in scoring offence at 58.0 points per game and 16th in scoring defence at 71.6 points per game. In 3-point percentage, Manitoba is eighth at 28.8% and 14th in field goal percentage at 33.9%. In Canada West rebounds, the Bisons are eighth at 40.1 per game, 12th in steals per game 7.8, 13th with 1.8 blocks per game and 16th in assists per game at 8.4.
Individually, assistant captain Nicole Konieczny is 15th in conference scoring with 13.5 points per game, sixth with 33.8 minutes per game, T-12th with 7.4 rebounds per game and tied for 13th with 2.1 steals per game. Rookie Taylor Randall is second in team scoring with 10.8 points per game and tenth in conference free throw shooting at 84.0%. Konieczny (37.1&) and Emma Thompson (34.9%) are 13th and 16th in 3-point Canada West shooting percentage.
Â
