WINNIPEG – In a classic battle between two nationally ranked teams, it was the No. 9 Saskatchewan Huskies who came out on top, surviving multiple 13-point comebacks from the No. 10 Manitoba Bisons to win 89-87 in overtime.
With the win, Saskatchewan advances to 10-4 while the Bisons fall to 12-2. Both of Manitoba's losses have come in overtime.
Four different players scored in double figures for both sides. Saskatchewan was paced by 21 points from both JT Robinson and Alexander Dewar, while Keiran Zziwa scored a career-high 34 points for Manitoba.
The two sides combined for seven steals in a 21-17 Huskies lead after one. The U of S scored 12 of their points in transition, led by Robinson's two steals and five points.
Zziwa, yesterday's hero with a game-winning three, continued to do damage from the perimeter, with all six of his points coming from the land beyond.
Saskatchewan — who shot 44 percent from the field after ten minutes — continued their streak in the second period, shooting 46 percent as they led by as much as 13. Well balanced scoring was critical, as four different players had at least one triple and a minimum of nine points.
Manitoba fought back on the strength of Zziwa's strong transition game and some timely shots from fifth-year guard Rashawn Browne, who was battling through a thigh injury from yesterday. The hosts cut Saskatchewan's lead to 42-35 at the half, with the two Bisons guards combining for 24 points.
The Huskies re-took a 13-point lead midway through the third period, causing three early turnovers and five overall. Dewar and Robinson did the damage offensively, combining for 30 points.
Manitoba — without Browne for the second half — cut Saskatchewan's lead down to five with a minute-and-a-half to play, as Zziwa continued to lead the way with 19 points through three, while Termaine Daniels and Andre Arruda stayed active to keep multiple possessions alive.
Saskatchewan increased their lead to 57-48 entering the fourth however, as big man Ryker Wuttke recorded a big block that led to a Dewar three.
Trailing by as much as six with a minute left, Manitoba battled back to force overtime. Arruda nailed a trey with 12 seconds remaining to tie things up after O'Hara had recorded a critical block shortly before.
"I was really proud of the guys and how we competed," Bisons head coach Kirby Schepp said postgame.
"I think we were down ten or 12 at one point in the fourth quarter and we just kind of kept grinding away and eventually started making some shots. We just ran out of healthy bodies. Even the guys that played were pretty banged up."
Tied up at 87 with less than a minute left in overtime, Huskies captain Emmanuel Akintunde grabbed a board and made no mistake as Saskatchewan held on for the two-point win. Bisons centre Isaac Miller-Jose had a chance to tie it up with two seconds left after both sides turned the ball over, however the shot just missed.
Next up for Saskatchewan is a home tilt against nationally ranked Calgary while the Bisons will host Regina.
