Neck-and-neck in the conference standings, Manitoba and Lethbridge meet this weekend at IGAC attempting to create distance in Canada West's Prairie Division.

On the men's side, the Pronghorns are 5-1, while the Bisons are 4-1, meanwhile Lethbridge is 3-3 in the women's side, and Manitoba is 1-4.


Women's preview
The Bisons women's squad is seeking their first victory over the 'Horns since 2018. The two sides met for a thrilling pair of games at IGAC last year, both of which came down to the final minute. With key members of both rosters back in 2024-25, this weekend's action is sure to bring the house down.

Trailing by as much as 13 in game one a year ago, the Bisons clawed their way back, and had a chance to steal a win with 16 seconds left, but Lethbridge held on with a 71-68 victory.
 
Tobore Okome was the catalyst most of the night for Lethbridge. The big finished with a career-high 19 points along with nine rebounds, and she's been a major part of the 'Horns' success again in 2024, leading her side with 48 rebounds.

Lethbridge's trio of athletic, experienced guards in Kamryn DeKlerk, Kyra Collier and Viktoriia Kovalevska have also shone on both ends. DeKlerk is third in three point efficiency in Canada West, at 41.7, while Collier leads the team with 13 points per game. Defensively, the three have combined for 32 steals.

It's been success by committee for Manitoba, who average 15.4 assists per game, fourth in Canada West. Veterans Ayva Khan and Emily Mandamin lead the way, with 16 a piece. Eight of Mandamin's 16 came in last Saturday's loss to Regina, a career-high.

True freshman Paige Schatkowsky has added ten assists in her debut season, and she and fellow first-year Darya Rom have each averaged over 20 minutes per game. Rom's scored in double figures twice already this year, while her 8.4 points per game are third on the team.

Fifth-year veterans Emerson Martin and Autumn Agar had great showings against Lethbridge last season (54 combined points, Agar recorded a double-double in game two), and the duo will look for more on the weekend, while sophomore Anna Miko is shooting 51.4 percent from the field, fourth in Canada West.

Men's preview
Undefeated against the Pronghorns since 2019, Manitoba will look to keep their streak going in a face-off of two of Canada West's deepest rosters.

In total, 11 different Pronghorns have started a game at the U SPORTS level, while nine play at least 11 minutes per contest. Lethbridge has many play-makers at the guard position, and they like to play with space, creating opportunities from three where they're shooting 38.6 percent as a team, second in Canada West.

Lethbridge has four different players scoring in double figures, led by guard Angelo Mbituyimana, whose 18.8 points per game are sixth in Canada West. He's averaging a double-double, with 10.2 rebounds per game, one of only three players in Canada West above double figures.

Athletic 6'7" big man Jack-Henry Fox-Gray is also in the top 15 in scoring, with 15.2 points per game. He is a solid complement to speedy guards Kymani Pollard and Shae Gibb, who are scoring 10.8 and 10.2 points per game, respectively.

Manitoba is up for the task, entering play with a Canada West-best 10.6 steals per game, frustrating the opposition with non-stop pressure and active defence that's led to points in transition.

Guard Mason Kraus leads the way, with three steals per game. That total ranks second in Canada West, as the long, intelligent veteran continues to frustrate the opposition's best players. In his four-year career, Kraus has 157 steals, the most in Bisons program history.

Ten different players have a steal for Manitoba on the year, with Kraus, Cieran O'Hara, Tito Obasoto and Daren Watts combining for 37.

Offensively, Watts and Kraus are in the top eleven in scoring, with 18 and 17.6 points per game, respectively. The duo have combined for over half of Manitoba's made threes this year.