After a long and grueling 2010-11 Canada West conference regular season, the Manitoba Bisons men’s basketball team finished eighth with a 9-15 record and earned a playoff spot for the first time since the 2003-04 season. The team tied the Bison mark for most conference regular season wins in a season in the last decade with nine (9-13 record in 2000-01 season). For their reward, the Bisons now meet the No. 2 ranked and first place team in the conference, the UBC Thunderbirds. The two teams battle in the 2011 Canada West Quarter Final best-of-three series at UBC. Game one will be on Friday, February 25 at 10 p.m. CT with game two on Saturday, February 26 at 10 p.m. and game three, if necessary, will be played on Sunday, February 27 at 5 p.m. CT. Follow all the game results in the Basketball Manitoba SCOREBOARD! Follow the Live Stats and Live Video of the series!
UBC (22-2) has only lost two games but Manitoba gave them a close battle on two occasions earlier in the 2010-11 regular season. At home, the Bisons lost 106-91 on Jan. 7/11 and 87-72 on Jan. 8/11. The Herd is 4-7 so far this season and in Canada West final regular season stats, the Bisons were fifth in scoring at 82.3 points per game, second in 3-point made (9.5), second in turnover ratio (+3.42), third in steals (10.0), fourth in offensive rebounds (13.6), tied for fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.0), sixth in assists (15.0), and sixth in blocked shots (2.8).
Individually, guard and captain Eric Garcia led the team and 19th in Canada West at 14.6 points per game while fifth year Sean Maxwell was second on Bisons and 23rd in Canada West scoring at 13.3. Kevin Oliver is third and Garcia is fifth in steals at 2.2 and 1.9 per game, Maxwell is third in 3-point made at 3.0 and Richard Reimer is tied for fourth in blocked shots at 1.0 while Garcia is sixth in assist/turnover ratio at 1.6. Reimer is also tied for fifth in offensive rebounds at 3.2
Manitoba Bisons Men’s Basketball - 2011 Playoff Away Schedule (at UBC)
Friday, February 25 Game 1: Bisons at UBC Starts at 10 p.m. CT
Saturday, February 26 Game 2: Bisons at UBC Starts at 10 p.m. CT
*Sunday, February 27 Game 3: Bisons at UBC Starts at 5 p.m. CT
* if necessary
Bison notes: This is the first time Eric Garcia has played in the playoffs since high school as he spent in his whole five year varsity university career at Manitoba. Bison men’s basketball head coach Kirby Schepp is only in his second season with the program and the team improved by five wins from their 4-16 record in 2009-10 season.