Box Score WINNIPEG – In a battle for playoff positioning, the Manitoba Bisons played arguably their most complete game of the season, knocking off the Winnipeg Wesmen 98-82 in the rematch of a back-to-back that began on Thursday.
 
The win – in front of over 1500 fans – secured the Herd their first series sweep over Winnipeg in over 16 years, and they remain in a playoff spot with two games left in the regular season. They are currently in the 12th and final seed at 6-12, but could move up depending on other action from across Canada West.
 
The Herd will remain at home this coming weekend, playing UBCO in a series that will feature the final home games in the careers of Lauren Bartlett, Emily Johnson and Talia Peters.
 
Speaking of Bartlett, she recorded 11 assists for the third time in the last four games, along with a career-high 26 points for her third double-double of the season and fourth in her career.
 
Bartlett's 11 assists (on four different occasions) are the most in a single game in program history.
 
"The U of W has always been a really good team. We were always battling with them, trying to get to their level," said Bartlett, who recorded the first two wins of her UM career against Winnipeg.
 
"We came in with a lot of energy today. I thought we competed really hard. The end result was great. I'm really excited to win. This helps us towards a playoff spot, so it was really important to win today."
 
Her long-time teammate Emily Johnson added a career-high 18 rebounds, setting a new school record in the process (along with 18 points for her sixth double-double of the season) while rookie Anna Miko had a career high 22 points.
 
"It was a big crowd, playing in [the Duckworth] in my first year," said the 6'1" Miko.
 
"I just had to stick to the game plan, get inside and use my size and length. It was really fun to play with veterans like Lauren and EJ and Emerson [Martin]."
 
Winnipeg was led by 19 points from Raia Guinto, who overcame a lower body injury late in the first half, putting up 13 over the final 20 minutes.
 
Manitoba controlled play on the glass, winning the rebounding battle 53-34. They held the Wesmen to two boards in the opening ten, taking a six-point lead into the second thanks to four triples, along woth four rebounds for Mar Tomas Arbos, three for Johnson and two for Hope Dixon, who had a great game off the bench with two points and four rebounds.
 
Johnson, Tomas Arbos and company continued to clean up the glass in the second, allowing the hosts to keep numerous possessions alive. The Wesmen ran a variety of different zone looks, including a 1-3-1, as well as some full court pressure, but were frustrated by Manitoba's ball movement, especially on continued possessions from their play on the glass.
 
Bartlett had seven assists entering the break, including a few no-look passes while a Miko three gave her a then career-high 13 entering halftime.
 
The Herd increased their lead to ten entering the fourth, thanks to eight points in a row from Barlett. Winnipeg cut the lead to as little as seven, but four rebounds on one possession for Johnson and a continued collective effort offensively spelled the end for Winnipeg.
 
"We watched some film, and we could recognize that [Jazmin Birch] is usually at the top of their zone," said Bartlett.
 
"That was kind of the tell for me to see they were in a zone. We stayed composed when they were throwing those different defences at us. That was really important. I think we all stayed calm and that helped us get some scores."