WINNIPEG – No team in the nation faces a harder second half schedule than the No. 7 nationally ranked Manitoba Bisons, who opened 2024 with a sweep, handing the previously undefeated Regina Cougars their second loss in as many days, 81-61 on Saturday night at IGAC. 
 
The win was Manitoba's eighth in a row, and they lead the Canada West conference with ten wins. 
 
The Herd are now 28-4 in the regular season dating back to last year, beating an opponent by more than 20 points on nine different occasions during that span. They've also held their opponent to 70 points or less four games in a row, and 14 times over the last season-and-a-half. 
 
Daren Watts led all players with a career-high 29 points. He almost went off for 32, but his triple in the final minute rimmed in and out. 
 
Watts' elite shooting made the difference offensively, as the Bisons (who trailed by one after ten) out-scored Regina 26-12 in second quarter and didn't trail the rest of the way. Watts had 12 points during the second, and didn't miss a shot, going four-for-four from the field while also draining two triples and hitting two free throws. 
 
"Every single game this second half is critical. [Regina] is a great team, and next week we play another great team. We play all great teams the second half. During the winter break, we were very focused," said Watts. 
 
"We were here at 10 am and then we had a second practice at four. We did that three days in a row. We were really locked in."
 
Defensively, the story was turnovers. Manitoba forced 20, while also registering 13 steals compared to two for Regina, who entered the game as the conference's best defensive unit, allowing just 68 points per game.  
 
Point guard Mason Kraus contributed six, one shy of his career best, while senior forward Wyatt Tait added three. It's the second time this season that Kraus – who led the country with 59 steals a year ago – has had at least six steals in a game, and he leads the nation, with 33 overall. 
 
He's also just 25 steals shy of tying the program record, as he passed Justus Alleyn and Keiran Zziwa for fourth all-time this weekend, with 127 in his career. 
 
As Watts mentioned, Manitoba faces another strong test this weekend on the road against No. 4 nationally ranked UBC, who are 8-4 this season. Catch the action live on canadawest.tv beginning at 7:30 PM PST Friday and 6 PM PST Saturday.