WINNIPEG – It was the game everyone was waiting for all week. Two nationally ranked, local opponents in Winnipeg and Manitoba duelling it out for top spot in the Canada West conference. And while both teams shot well from the field, the Wesmen were the better team from distance, making 12 treys while shooting 42 percent from three overall en route to an 89-80 win on Friday night at Investors Group Athletic Centre. 
 
The win improves Winnipeg's record to 14-3, while Manitoba fell to 15-2. The rematch goes tomorrow night at the U of W. 
 
Manitoba got the first bucket of the game, but it was their only lead, as six different Wesmen made a trey, beginning in the first. 
 
Trailing by 21 in the fourth, Manitoba gave everything they had, cutting Winnipeg's lead to as little as five at 75-70, but the Wesmen continued to make big shots down the stretch. 
 
Manitoba's Simon Hildebrandt would finish the game with his first career double double (20 points, and ten rebounds), while Wesmen forward Mikhail Mikhailov would also record a big double-double, dropping 20 points and 15 rebounds, leading his team to the win.
 
Captain Shawn Maranan added 13 points and ten assists, while the Wesmen recorded 13 steals. 
 
Both teams displayed their physicality and athleticism right from the tip-off, as they battled for every loose ball, rebound, and box-out. The energy levels were beyond anything we've seen this season, as fans in the nearly sold out gym hunkered down for an all-out war.
 
The Wesmen would come out guns blazing and shot out the lights, led by Maranan who was speeding up the court faster than light and dropping some silky-smooth jumpers and layups to give the Wesmen an early lead.
 
Three Wesmen players would finish the first quarter with five points, hitting shots from deep and shooting 66.7% from three-point land.
 
Bisons captain Elijah Lostracco would take matters into his own hands, scoring ten points in the first with some flashy and athletic circus shots down low, fighting through a sea of Wesmen players. It was his last home game as a senior, along with Isaac Miller-Jose, as both were recognized pre-game. 

"Elijah really showed his heart on both ends of the floor, and Isaac was staying active and making plays as he always does," said Bisons head coach Kirby Schepp. "We couldn't get in the flow offensively tonight, but it was great seeing those two play well in their last regular season home game.
 
The Bisons would battle back in the second to bring the score within one point, as Hildebrandt found his footing and used his height to grab some tough post-ups and a clean trey from deep. 
 
As the intensity grew, the Wesmen took advantage of the sagging Bisons defence and let it rain from deep, dropping six threes alone in the second. 
 
Wesmen guards Maranan and Paul Francisco seemingly couldn't miss, entering the half with ten points and 11 points respectively as they pushed the Wesmen into a comfortable lead.
 
A huge half-court buzzer-beater by Wesmen forward Alberto Gordo would send the two teams into halftime, with the Wesmen up 50-35.
 
Calls weren't going the Bisons way as things got chippier, forcing them to dig deep and flex their depth on the hardwood in the second half. 
 
Bisons guard Mason Kraus would put his heart on his sleeve and battle to grab nine points and five assists as the Bisons trailed going into the fourth.
 
Mikhailov would also have himself a quarter, dropping 12 points in the third and entering the fourth with a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds.
 
Hildebrandt would enter the fourth looking like a man on a mission, using his length at the three-point line and getting to the charity stripe to drop 11 points, bringing the difference down to ten with seven minutes left in the fourth.
 
Both teams would take turns trading buckets as the intensity grew so thick you could cut it with a knife. 
 
A huge steal and layup that sent Kraus to the line would bring the game within five in the final moment, as the Bisons pushed to tie up the game. 
 
The Wesmen would continue to fight back, getting to the line and sealing the deal with a plethora of free throws as they narrowly battled past the Bisons, setting up a massive rematch tomorrow night.