SASKATOON, Sask. - A pair of 20-point performances from the Manitoba Bisons helped the Herd outlast a career night from Dylan Miller and another double-double performance from Easton Thimm Friday night (Nov. 8) on the Ron & Jane Graham Centre court at the Physical Activity Complex. Manitoba's Mason Kraus and Daren Watts each eclipsed on the twenty point mark to give the visiting Bisons an 83-79 win, maintaining the team's perfect record while the Huskies remain winless through the opening three games of the season.

Despite the loss it was an impressive home debut from Saskatchewan's Dylan Miller, who totaled a team-high 23 points thanks to an efficient shooting performance which saw the second-year Calgary product go 8-for-9 from the field and lights out from beyond the arc, draining six triples.

Miller went 2-for-2 from three in a high-scoring opening quarter which saw the Bisons take a narrow two-point lead. Coming out of the half with a one-point lead the arts & science student drained three more but Manitoba's Mason Kraus was able to keep pace, scoring 10 on 4-of-6 shooting. 

Locked at a 62-62 stalemate with 10 minutes to go the two teams continued to trade both scores and stops as the game came down to the wire. It was then that a layup from the Bison's Tito Obasoto gave the visiting team a three-point advantage with 47 seconds remaining. Despite Dillyn Morin cutting the deficit to a single point, a missed Huskie triple and a Bisons foul all but sealed the win for Manitoba. 

On the glass, Easton Thimm put in another game-high performance bringing in 16 when no other player on the court reached double digits. It marked the 2023-24 Canada West Rookie of the Year's second double-double outing in three games to open the season, having also recorded 17 points in the contest. 

Saskatchewan's Emmanual Bonsu and Manitoba's Andre Gray II made it three players for each to team to reach double-digit points.

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The Huskies and Bisons are back at it Saturday night, with the second game of their weekend series set for a 7:00 PM tipoff back on the Ron & Jane Centre Court.