#6 Alberta 91 Manitoba 81
Golden Bears-Bisons Stats
by John Gaudes, Bisons Sports Info Assistant
WINNIPEG - With their top scorers from a season ago gone from the lineup, it was a Friday night to prove their worth for the Manitoba Bisons men’s basketball team. In an exciting matchup with the Alberta Golden Bears (1-0) at Investors Group Athletic Centre, they eventually fell 91-81 to fall to 0-1.
Leading the way for Manitoba were the combined efforts of their team captains. Third-year guard Stephan Walton had 28 points, including 5-for-7 from 3-point range. Fourth-year forward Kevin Oliver had 24 points and 11 rebounds for the double-double.
Alberta was led by their third-year guard Jordan Baker, who had a remarkable 30 points on 12-for-18 shooting to go along with 24 rebounds.
Before the game, the 1975-76 CIAU national champion Manitoba Bisons were honoured with a plaque and a ceremonial tip-off. It has been 35 years since that team memorably won and they were recently inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.
The Bisons will play the second of a back-to-back against Alberta on Saturday, at 8:00 p.m.
GoBisons.ca
#7 Fraser Valley 77 Thompson Rivers 69
Cascades-WolfPack Stats
by Larry Read, TRU Sports Information
KAMLOOPS, BC — At the Tournament Capital Centre on the opening night the Thompson Rivers WolfPack went down to defeat at the hands of the visiting #7 Fraser Valley Cascades, 77-69.
Kyle Grewal had 15 points and 12 rebounds for lead Fraser Valley. Samuel Freeman chipped in with 18 points and 9 rebounds.
TRU had a double double from third year forward Justin King. King had 20 points and 16 rebounds. Chas Kok had 23 points and seven rebounds and Kevin Pribilsky had 11 points.
The two teams go at it again Saturday at the Tournament Capital Centre. Tip-off is at 7:00 p.m.
TRU Athletics
Victoria 93 #8 Trinity Western 79
Vikes-Spartans Stats
by Andy Watson, UVic Sports Information
VICTORIA - The Victoria Vikes never trailed, opening up with a 10-2 run to outpace the Trinity Western Spartans with a 93-79 win at the Langley Events Centre on Friday night.
The same two squads dual again Saturday at 7 p.m. in Langley, B.C. (live video & stats at http://canadawest.tv)
Outside of some great long-range shooting from Spartan Kyle Costan, Trinity Western had no answer from UVic which led 28-24 after the first quarter and 54-47 at the halftime break.
Senior guard Ryan MacKinnon of Comox, B.C., led the UVic squad with 20 points and was six-for-seven from three-point range in opening half. Through three quarters he had 24 points. He finished with a game-high 28 points on 11-for-18 shooting. He added three steals and an assist in the win.
Michael Acheampong of Toronto, 16 points, Zac Andrus of Vachon Island, Wa., 13 points, and Mike Berg of Victoria, 11 points, also registered double-digit scoring.
Both the women's and men's Vikes teams host Regina in the season opener on Friday Nov. 11 at 6 and 8 p.m., respectively. They also host the Brandon Bobcats at 5 and 7 p.m. on Saturday Nov. 12. All home games are at McKinnon Gymnasium.
Spartans Athletics
Winnipeg 74 Lethbridge 71
Pronghorns-Wesmen Stats
by Sheldon Appelle, U of Winnipeg Sports Information
WINNIPEG - A fourth quarter rally lifted the Winnipeg Wesmen to a dramatic 74-71 victory over the Lethbridge Pronghorns in the regular season opener for both sides Friday night in Winnipeg.
Winnipeg trailed 66-59 with over four minutes to play and soon afterwards regrouped scoring 12 unanswered points to take the lead and close out the game. Eric Zimmerman's two-three pointers highlighted the rally.
Zimmerman finished the game with a game high 27 points, including three-three pointers. Dominique Brown added 15 and Mark McNee finished with 10. Guard Craig Sharpe led Winnipeg on the boards with seven rebounds.
Five Lethbridge players scored in double digits with Dominyc Coward and Logan Reiter scoring 12 each. Daryl Cooper and Alex Fletcher scored 11 while Morgan Duce finished with 10.
Game time Saturday is 8:00 p.m. for the final game of the regular season opening series at the Duckworth Centre.
Wesmen Athletics