The Manitoba Bisons (regular season: 12-8; playoffs: 5-0) made history as they advanced to the U SPORTS championship, for first time since 1985, after conference semifinal 74-72 win over #5 Calgary Dinos on Fri., March 3 and play for first-ever conference championship title against #8 Alberta Golden Bears on Sat., March 4

Bison head coach Kirby Schepp said after the victory, "It has been our goal all year to get to Halifax. This is a special moment for our guys and our program. I could not be more proud them and everyone who has worked hard for this for so long. But now we refocus and we will put everything we have into trying to win versus a very tough Alberta squad."

The Canada West championship final playoff game can be seen live on canadawest.tv website. Manitoba seeks a conference championship for the first time since the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) merged with Canada West in 2001-02 (The Herd were GPAC champions in 1977-78, 1984-85, 1985-86).

During this season, Manitoba and Alberta met twice in conference action as the Bisons were swept by the Bears on the road (L 88-85 on Nov. 25/17; L 72-64 on Nov. 26/16) and also played in non-conference play as the Bisons won 86-78 in the Wesmen Classic final on Dec. 30/16 at the U of Winnipeg tournament.

Heading into the Canada West championship final, the Bisons are rolling as they have not lost in five playoff games (defeated #5 Calgary in semifinal; swept #2 UBC in Quarter-final series on road; swept Regina in Play-In series at home). Plus, the Herd has won ten of last 12 conference games (13 of 15 counting non-conference games) before the post-season.

Manitoba earned their seventh berth (1970-71, 1973-74, 1974-75, 1975-76, 1977-78, 1984-85 and 2016-17) to a U SPORTS men's basketball championship.

Bison men's basketball - 2017 Canada West Final Four schedule in Calgary
Fri., March 3         Semifinal: Manitoba 74 #5 Calgary 72
Sat., March 4        Gold medal game: Manitoba vs. #8 Alberta at 9 p.m. CT

Bison Notes: That is only the second ever appearance by the Bisons in the Canada West men's basketball Final Four.