Six losses in seven games isn't an ideal way to end the regular season, but the Manitoba Bisons have a great opportunity to hit the reset button this weekend. The Herd's first Canada West men's basketball playoff game as the No. 10 seed (7-9) comes against the No. 17 seed UBC Okanagan Heat (3-15).

Hosted by the University of Lethbridge, Manitoba and UBCO will play at 9 p.m. CDT on Thursday, March 3. Fans can watch on Canada West TV presented by Co-op.

The Bisons and Heat tip off in the new Canada West basketball playoff format, where 17 teams will be whittled down to four in survive-and-advance games hosted by Calgary and Lethbridge this weekend. The Bisons and Heat — with almost 2,000 km between their campuses — will be meeting for the first time since December 2017.

In 2021-22, the Bisons have continued to uphold their reputation as a strong defensive team.

Manitoba finished the regular season fifth in Canada West in points per game allowed (72.7), fifth in steals (8.6) and sixth in opponents' field goal percentage (39.9). Plenty of the credit for this goes to the veteran starting frontcourt, with fourth-year Cameron O'Hara (6.2 rebounds, 0.5 blocks per game) in the middle and fifth-year James Wagner (7.9 rebounds, 0.4 blocks) alongside making life difficult for opponents at the rim.

Wagner has also been a steadying presence on the offensive end, as the Bisons have hit cold stretches as a team during the regular season — shooting just 38.9% from the field as a team in the month of January. The John Taylor Collegiate alum is seventh in Canada West in total rebounds (126) while playing 33.7 minutes per game (sixth in CW).

Steals have been a recipe for success for Manitoba. In wins this season, they have averaged 10.4 per game and just 7.1 in losses. First-year guard Mason Kraus leads the team (sixth in CW) in that category with 2.1 per game.

The winner of Manitoba-UBCO will advance to face No. 7 seed Lethbridge at 9 p.m. on Friday, March 4. The four remaining teams after this weekend will compete in the Canada West Final Four on March 18 and 19.

HOOFPRINTS

• Fifth-year guard Keiran Zziwa has double-digit scoring in three straight entering the playoffs… averaged 14.0 points and 25.5% three-point shooting in 2021-22
• Bisons rank sixth in CW in offensive rebounds per game with 13.7
• Sharpshooter Risto Zimbakov has at least one three in six straight appearances, peaking with a 5-for-13 night from deep against SSK (Feb. 4)

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