The University of Regina's men's basketball team defeated the University of Manitoba Bisons 90-81 on Friday night in Regina.
Cougars center
Majok Madol double-doubled with a team-high 22 points and a game-high 13 rebounds to help the team secure their eighth win of the season to stay in first in the Canada West East Division. Fourth-year
Carter Millar almost triple-doubled, finishing with a line of 18 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists to contribute to Cougars victory. Bisons guard Keiran Zziwa scored a game-high 31 points and shot 4-of-5 from three, but it was not enough to will his team to a win.
The first quarter was a high-scoring affair, with the two teams combining for 51 points. Six minutes into the game, a three-pointer by Cougars guard
Nigel Warden made it a 9-9 game. Two possessions later,
Arinze Emeka-Anyakwo hit two free throws to give Regina a two point lead. The Cougars would hold the lead for the rest of the night, as a late surge in the opening quarter gave them a 28-23 lead after 10 minutes.
The second quarter was tighter, as the Cougars scored 21 points and the Bisons scored 18. The Cougars led by 12 at one point but the Bisons kept scoring to ensure the game would remain within reach. Regina lead 49-41 at the half.
The Bisons scored 21 points in the third quarter, but could not contain the Cougars offence as they scored 22 points. Manitoba whittled the Cougars lead to just four points with a minute and a half left in the third. That would be as close as they got as twins Nick and
Matt Barnard scored the last five points of the quarter to give the Cougars a 71-62 lead going into the final frame.
The Cougars kept their foot on the gas pedal in the fourth, ensuring that Manitoba could not mount a comeback attempt. Regina lead by 14 points on three different occasions in the final 10 minutes, keeping the game firmly out of reach.
Benjamin Hillis (14 points, six rebounds) and
Brayden Kuski (11 points, two rebounds) were the other two Cougars to reach double-digit scoring numbers tonight.
The Bisons got good performances from James Wagner (17 points, five rebounds) and Mason Kraus (14 points, three rebounds, and three assists) in the loss.
The two teams will face off again tomorrow, at 8:00, at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health and Sport.
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