For the fourth time on the season, the University of Manitoba Bisons took a game to overtime – coming out on the winning side to improve to 2-2 in that department for the 2015-16 campaign with an 82-74 victory on Saturday night.
Manitoba trailed by as much as 13 points in the second quarter – failing to get their first basket in the middle frame until just over midway through – but clawed back into the game on the strength of their rebounding. The herd won the battle on the boards 57-41 on the night, including 16 from Keith Omoerah, who also finished with a game-high 22 points.
The Bisons also got inspired play from Jonathan Alexander off the bench, who once again scored in double digits, registering nine of his 13 points in the third and fourth quarters combined.
Trailing by five entering the fourth quarter, Manitoba went on to outscore Winnipeg 30-17 in the final ten minutes and overtime session combined to pull out the win. Omoerah, Basi, Justus Alleyn, and Wyatt Anders all had at least one rebound in the five-minute OT, holding Winnipeg to just four points.
Manitoba has just one series left this season, taking on the lowly Trinity Western Spartans on the road this coming weekend and look well on their way to hosting their first home playoff series since the 2003-04 campaign.