Box Score CALGARY, AB – The U SPORTS #3 ranked University of Winnipeg Wesmen men's basketball team dominated the Mount Royal Cougars on Friday night, defeating MRU 87-48 at Kenyon Court.

Winnipeg showed why they are one of the best teams in the country and controlled the game right from the opening tip. The Wesmen's combination of speed and skill proved to be lethal against a banged-up Cougars squad. 

Ijah Nelson was kept out of the lineup due to a knee injury he suffered last weekend against Manitoba. Nelson's absence on the court was significant and MRU suffered without him.

Winnipeg won the battle in the paint thanks to the two-headed monster Donald Stewart and Mikhail Mikhailov. The big-man duo combined for 22 points and 13 rebounds on the night.

The dynamic offence and stingy defence of Winnipeg gave them a 12-point lead at the half. The Cougars went to the locker room desperately looking for a surge of energy.

A large portion of the Cougars' struggles can be credited to a tough night shooting the ball. Mount Royal shot a measly 21.7 per cent from the field.

The Wesmen exploded in the third quarter, scoring 31 points and pushing the game out of reach for MRU. Winnipeg finished the game with six players scoring in double figures. 

A bright spot in Friday's loss for Mount Royal was Holt Tomie nearly registering a double-double of the season with 13 points and nine rebounds. 

The Wesmen will have a chance for the weekend sweep during a rematch against Mount Royal on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Kenyon Court. Fans won't want to miss the actions and can purchase tickets online or stream the game live on Canada West TV.