WINNIPEG – Down 16 at the half, the No. 9 Manitoba Bisons (13-2) found a way yet again, defeating the Regina Cougars (7-8) 72-69 at Investors Group Athletic Centre Friday night.

"We're all here for each other, we're having fun together and we're all hyped up," said Manitoba's Andre Arruda postgame. "It's just been a really good time."

Both teams were without their leading scorers, Carter Millar for Regina and Rashawn Browne for Manitoba.

Manitoba felt the absence of their top point-getter early on, scoring just 20 points in the first half and going without a bucket for over half of the second quarter.

"Rashawn's such a ball dominant guy and such a leader for us offensively," said head coach Kirby Schepp postgame. "We were kind of a ship without its brother for the first little while."

Regina led 36-20 at the half, taking advantage of only eight made Manitoba field goals.

"We weren't very assertive in the way we executed," said Schepp. "We just couldn't get a good shot."

With nine points off turnovers, the Bisons turned up their aggression in the third and completely erased the Cougar's 16-point lead.

Missed free throws hurt Regina, while Manitoba sent the game into the fourth tied after a trio of Arruda free throws — his first points of the game.

"Every shot today felt good," said Arruda, who finished with seven points and 11 rebounds. "Getting those free throws to calm myself down and see the ball go through the hoop was nice."

Manitoba grabbed their first lead of the game at 52-49 on a Keiran Zziwa and-one. They never looked back, leading until the clock hit zeroes.

Other Bisons stepped up throughout the night: James Wagner scored a game-high 25, Risto Zimbakov nailed a trio of threes, Cameron O'Hara used his height to pick off a full-court pass late in the game, and Joel Adu-Quaye threw down the game's final basket with a vicious dunk.

Manitoba will look to stay unbeaten in regulation when they host Regina again, 7 p.m. tip-off.