WINNIPEG – The No. 4 nationally ranked Winnipeg Wesmen threw their best punch, but it wasn't enough to knock out the Herd, who-outlasted their city rivals 85-76 amongst a lively crowd at the Duckworth Centre on Thursday night.
 
Along the way the Herd halted Winnipeg's historic 7-0 start to the season, while putting themselves in a three-way tie for first with the U of W, as well as No. 2 ranked Calgary, at 7-1 in Canada West's Prairie Division entering the holiday break.
 
It was Manitoba's fourth win in a row overall, and first victory against the back-to-back Canada West-finalist Wesmen in just under two years.
 
In a legacy-building performance, Manitoba's starting five shut down Winnipeg's veteran playmakers when it counted, making key plays on both ends of the floor to secure the clutch victory. Their 85 points were the most scored against the nation's stingiest defence all year, while they out-rebounded Winnipeg 7-2 in the final two minutes.
 
Down 76-73 with two-and-a-half minutes to go, the Herd went on a 12-0 run, out-hustling the Wesmen with sheer grit and relentless effort.  
 
Four-year starter Mason Kraus commanded the headlines, playing a career-high 39 out of 40 minutes, finishing one point and one assist shy of his all-time career highs, with 25 and nine, respectively.

Centre Cieran O'Hara added a game-high ten rebounds, including a number of important boards late in the fourth while in traffic under the hoop. His defensive rebound with 1:23 to go, led to Manyang Tong's second triple of the quarter, while two O'Hara offensive rebounds off of missed threes eventually led to a Wesmen foul with 30 seconds to go.
 
Overall, the Bisons scored 42 points in the paint, led by Kraus' relentless desire to get to the basket at all costs. His play helped open up the floor for Manitoba, with fellow starters Taven Vigilance and  O'Hara rocking the rim off beautiful feeds from Kraus.
 
"We don't want to lose. We all trust each other, we're all trying to fight for each other. Cieran, four big rebounds at the end. We just wanted it more than them tonight," said Kraus.
 
"This year we're just dogs more. We understand, losing Simon [Hildebrandt], we can't give up possessions. We have to fight every possession, everybody on the glass. Guys are stepping up. Cieran's our starting centre. He's playing 30, 35 minutes a game, if he's putting that effort in, everyone has to. He's banging in the post every game, so we have to match that energy with him. It just shows we play together and for each other."
 
Both sides played true to their brand of basketball, forcing the issue with disruptive defence that created opportunities in transition. The city rivals combined for 18 steals and 50 points off turnovers, with Manitoba holding a lead of as much as 13 midway through the third.
 
But the Wesmen went on their own run, scoring six of their 13 three pointers in the span of three-and-a-half minutes at the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth.
 
Scrappy guard Kato Jaro led the way, with 11 of his team-leading 16 points coming during Winnipeg's comeback, nine from distance. An Alberto Gordo three in transition and emphatic Ryan Luke dunk gave the hosts a 71-66 lead, their biggest all night, with 4:20 left.

The game-defining moment for Kraus occurred with Winnipeg up 71-68 with four minutes to go. He stole a loose ball, racing back in transition for a contested layup, and one, which he cashed in on to tie the game.
 
Veteran forward Donald Stewart scored five in a row for Winnipeg shortly after, but it was light outs out from there, as the Bisons put their foot on the gas pedal.
 
Tong, a veteran of over 40 U SPORTS games, scored six of his 19 points during Manitoba's late game surge, tying the game at 76 with a three-pointer with 2:10 to go, and later increasing Manitoba's lead to 81-76 with another dagger three. He finished the game with a career-high 29 minutes played.
 
The game-winning bucket came off a slick pass from Daren Watts to O'Hara, who waited out a Wesmen defender under the basket for the 78-76 lead.
 
It was the first of many clutch plays late from the veteran centre, who recorded four of his game-high ten rebounds in the final minute-and-a-half.
 
Kraus then stepped to the line, sinking both free throws, giving Manitoba an 83-76 lead.
 
The true freshman Vigilance, making his first career U SPORTS start, added a block, a rebound and the game's final two points, capping off the best game of his university career with a career-high two blocks, to go with eight points and three rebounds in 20 minutes played.
 
"They're a very tough team. One thing I'll say about the U of W is they don't do anything to beat themselves. They're just so solid. I thought we had a fairly comfortable lead and they battled back. But we had a bit of battle too, where we took their best punch on the chin and came back with a counter punch," added Bisons head coach Kirby Schepp.
 
"I was just proud of the way the guys didn't fold their tent when they went on that three point barrage. We kept battling. Manyang Tong made some big plays late. Mason Kraus made big plays throughout the whole game, Taven Vigilance made big plays. Cieran made four key rebounds in traffic. Those were man rebounds that Cieran O'Hara got. Those were huge plays as well."