The University of Regina's men's basketball team lost to the University of Manitoba Bisons 70-66 on Friday night in Winnipeg.

Bisons fifth-year forward James Wagner scored a game-high 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead his team to the win and stay undefeated on the season. He played 39 out of a possible 40 minutes in the game. Regina guard Josiah Thomas scored a team-high 16 points and shot 4-of-6 from behind the three-point line.

The first quarter was back-and-forth with four lead changes. Regina jumped out to a 7-4 lead early in the game before the Bisons fought back and tied the game at 10-10. Guard Elijah Lostracco made a three-point play on an and-one to score the last points of the quarter and give the Bisons a 13-12 lead. Wagner scored eight points to lead the team in the first.

The second quarter was again a tightly contested match before Manitoba started to pull away at the halfway mark. After the Cougars went up 22-20, Manitoba went on a 10-2 run to end the quarter. They led 30-24 at the halftime break.

The Cougars started the third quarter on a 15-8 run to take back the lead. It wouldn't last for long, however, as the Bisons outscored the Cougars the rest of the frame and took a close 45-43 lead into the final quarter.

Although the Cougars never let the Bisons get a lead larger than nine points, they never led in the fourth quarter. Regina kept scoring but the Bisons answered every time. A Thomas three-pointer brought the Cougars within two points with 1:53 left in the game but the Bisons quickly responded with two free throws. The Cougars missed their next three shots and ran out of time to complete the comeback.

Mason Kraus was second in scoring on the Bisons with 11 points. The Bisons had a balanced attack with five other players scoring at least five points.

Benjamin Hillis (14 points, six rebounds, three assists) and Majok Madol (8 points, 14 rebounds, four assists) contributed for the Cougars in the loss.

The two teams play again tomorrow, at 7:00, at the Investors Group Athletic Centre in Winnipeg.

 

Josiah gets the jumper to go! He has 13 points tonight! pic.twitter.com/S4WoyFUGnY

— U of R Cougars MBB (@cougsmbb) November 13, 2021