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![\"BROOK](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/4682662_web1_BJ-20261030UWWesmenVsUMBisonsWomensBasketball08.jpg\")
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BROOK JONES \/ FREE PRESS<\/p>\n
Manitoba Bisons forward Izzi Fust is blocked by Winnipeg Wesmen forward Jennifer Kallon on a drive Friday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve all basically played against each other for the last, what, six-ish years? So I mean it\u2019s nice to come compete in university, but especially in their gym, it\u2019s sweeter to get the win,\u201d Miko said.<\/p>\n
Izzi Fust had 13 points, and Taylor Schepp chipped in with 11 on a night in which Manitoba controlled the glass and dominated in the paint. Bisons head coach Michele Sung was taken aback when she learned Miko\u2019s final stat line.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we just tried to really develop her motor, meaning she can play at the same consistent effort and pace for the time that she plays \u2014 some nights that\u2019s 38 minutes, and some nights that\u2019s 20,\u201d Sung said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo just buying into that efficiency when she\u2019s on the floor, I thought she did a great job in the second half of playing off two feet, just being balanced. I thought it was a pretty physical game both sides, and thought we did a good job of staying composed and playing through it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Manitoba has done enough to reach the post-season in seven of the last eight seasons, but has failed to make much noise once it gets there.<\/p>\n
With a few key additions this summer, including the homecoming of third-year Fust \u2014 who filled the stat sheet, adding five rebounds and seven assists on this night \u2014 Miko is confident that the Bisons are as well-rounded as they\u2019ve been since she arrived.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think once the season is over, you\u2019ve got to forget about it and start building for the next year, but it definitely does sting because you want to make this playoff push, you want to get to nationals, those CanWest finals. But I think this is a new year, we\u2019ve got a great group to work with, and I really think we can make a really hard push this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Wesmen, who earned a lopsided victory over the Brandon Bobcats in their season opener, dropped to 1-1. A bright spot on this night was a potential budding star in freshman guard Ella Castres, who supplied 15 points after dropping 11 in her U Sports debut. Fifth-year guard Raia Guinto matched Castres with a team-high 15 points.<\/p>\n
Sung admitted the win wasn\u2019t pretty \u2014 both sides finished with 22 turnovers \u2014 but she doesn\u2019t anticipate that many will be in the conference this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think every Canada West game is going to be pretty tight, and anybody can win on any given night. I think today was a testament to that, and I think every coach is really well prepared, as well,\u201d Sung said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of the day, you still have to have players that come out and play well. Anna did that for us, but I thought we had a lot of players play really well within their role, as well, today. Lots to build on, and if we can get more people playing more consistently, we\u2019re going to be pretty tough.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the men\u2019s contest later in the evening, the Wesmen rolled to a 93-67 victory over the Bisons on the strength of a stellar 25-point, 11-rebound double-double from fifth-year forward Elijah Mensah.<\/p>\n
The Wesmen, who held leads of 30-9, 48-33 and 71-53 after the first three quarters, followed up on a season-opening victory over Brandon to improve to 2-0.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we just stuck to the game plan,\u201d Mensah said. \u201cMy teammates did a good job of finding me, and I just tried to stay aggressive like coach told me, and it all worked out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alberto Gordo finished with 18 points, and Kato Jaro chipped in with 16 on a night Winnipeg connected on 51 per cent of its shots.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI think he did a lot of things to help us. I\u2019m so proud of how hard he\u2019s worked,\u201d Wesmen head coach Mike Raimbault said of Mensah. \u201cObviously, he had to sort of bide his time for a bigger opportunity, but he\u2019s continued to work and develop and put in time. I think the biggest thing is that he\u2019s playing with a level of confidence in things we saw in spurts and always knew he was capable of, but so far this season he\u2019s doing it on a regular basis.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, it was the debut of a new era for the Bisons, who enter this season with a younger, reloaded starting five after graduating all five of their starters from a season ago.<\/p>\n
Taven Vigilance and Brandt Lenz paced Manitoba with 11 points, respectively.<\/p>\n
Both Bisons squads will host Brandon on Sunday. The Wesmen teams will host MacEwan next weekend.<\/p>\n
winnipegfreepress.com\/joshuafreysam<\/p>\n
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Joshua Frey-Sam Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Josh produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.<\/p>\n \t\t
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