WINNIPEG ­–  Physicality and toughness from both teams were left on the floor at Investors Group Athletic Center Saturday night, as the Manitoba Bisons completed a sweep of the Saskatchewan Huskies with an 82-58 victory. 

The win improves Manitoba's record to 7-1, as they enter the winter break as the only team in the conference with one loss. It's the second time in head coach Kirby Schepp's tenure that the team has entered the holiday break with just one loss, the other occurring in 2019-20. The Huskies fell to 1-7 with the loss. 

The team's leading scorer Elijah Lostracco would finish the game with 19 points and four rebounds to pace his side, while All-Rookie guard Mason Kraus would turn up the heat defensively with five steals on top of 11 points and seven assists. 

Kraus' five steals marks the fifth most in a single game in team history, just two off of his career best of seven, which he set two weeks ago against Fraser Valley. His 2.6 steals per game is also third-best in program history entering the holiday break.

Overall, the two teams combined for 25 steals in a break-neck affair.

On the Huskies end, captain Tyrese Potoma would have another great game, finishing with 13 points and three assists, while Fisayo Moibi had 11 points and two steals.

"It was a really physical game. Saskatchewan came in and raised the competitiveness, but our guys really wanted it," said Bisons head coach Kirby Schepp. 

"We played at a fast pace which helped us get open offensively, but on the defence especially, we held them to just 58 points. That was really big for us." 

Both teams traded big buckets early. The Bisons would come out on top through the first with some sensational plays that had the crowd going wild. 

A Kraus steal at half-court led to a nasty one-hand flush that really showed off his hops. Shortly after, Lostracco would get in the paint for a shifty move that got him a layup surrounded by defenders. Tito Obasoto would prove to be a dog on the defence, making it a nightmare for any Husky passing lanes. The Bisons energy was high, leading 24-12 going into the second.  

The Bisons carried on attacking the Huskies from all angles. Lostracco continued to get to his spots, picking up 12 points before the half and making some tough layups that he made look easy. 

Some great defensive hustle plays led to some steals and buckets, especially for rookie sensation Simon Hildebrandt who got a tough bully ball floater off a steal from Kraus. Hildebrandt would also grab two treys, making him perfect from three going two-for-two as the Bisons led 44–24 at halftime.  

Both teams would come out of the half playing some intense and physical basketball, taking some big slams and leaving players jumbled on the hardwood. 

Multiple Huskies got on the board, capitalizing on some fast break buckets, but the Huskies Moibi would lead the charge, while Potoma added two treys and went three-for-five overall. 

Manitoba's Daren Watts would keep the physicality turned up to 11 in the fourth, recording a career high 12 points and an assist, with a three-pointer and some tough turnaround buckets in the paint at key moments as Manitoba won by 20-plus.

Both teams are now on the holiday break until January.