The Herd picked up their second win of the season Thursday night at IGAC, defeating the Saskatchewan Huskies 81–70 behind a breakout shooting performance from guard Mason Kraus.

Kraus led the way with 23 points, hitting six three-pointers while adding five assists and six rebounds. His hot hand helped the Bisons build an early double-digit lead, as Manitoba opened the first quarter with a 26–18 advantage and held control throughout. Fellow guard Daren Watts matched Kraus with 23 points of his own, going 10-for-15 from the field and dishing six assists, while fifth-year forward Cieran O'Hara anchored the defense with four rebounds and two blocks.

"It took three weeks to see the ball go in and shoot better than 10% from three, but it was a good game," Kraus said post game. "I knew it was gonna come to me, just had to get some extra reps up and trust that it would fall."

The Bisons shot 44.8% from the field and 27.6% from three, showing a more efficient rhythm on offense compared to recent outings. Manitoba also capitalized on Saskatchewan's mistakes, converting 33 points off turnovers, while scoring 44 points in the paint. 

The Huskies, still searching for their first win of the season, were paced by Emmanuel Bonsu's 19 points and Easton Thimms 13 rebounds but couldn't overcome a sluggish third quarter where they were outscored 18–10.

Despite stretches of strong play, Kraus acknowledged that the Bisons still need to maintain consistency. "We're still struggling with our stamina — we're just very up and down," he said. "When we get the game to 15, it almost feels like we think it's over. If we want to be like teams such as Victoria and be who we think we should be, we can't play like that. We've got to keep the pedal down the whole game."

The Bisons' defensive intensity was evident early, forcing 26 Huskies turnovers and generating 14 steals.

Looking ahead, Kraus emphasized the importance of sustaining momentum through the weekend. "It's about how we bounce back tomorrow," he said. "Earlier in the year, we blew out Regina the first night and they came back and beat us. So if we think we're better, we've got to show it every night. We haven't had a sweep yet, so we've got to keep it up."

With the win, Manitoba improves to 2-2 on the season, while Saskatchewan drops to 0-5. The teams will meet again Friday night at 8:00 PM.