BRANDON - The Brandon University men's basketball team dropped an 83-72 decision against the visiting Winnipeg Wesmen on Thursday night at the Healthy Living Centre to open their second-half of their Canada West season.
 
The Bobcats led 18-15 at the end of the first quarter and were up 36-29 at the half-time break.
 
Brandon took an 11-point advantage with just over five minutes to go in the third quarter, before the Wesmen rallied to tie it 52-52 going into the fourth quarter.
 
It was back and forth down the stretch between the longtime rivals with the contest tied 63-63 at the midway mark of the fourth quarter.
 
Winnipeg would pull ahead from there as they outscored Brandon 20-9 of the final five and half minutes of the game.
 
Earl Thompson Jr. scored a game-high 30 points for the Bobcats, who sit with a record of 0-and-7.
 
Troy Grant was next with 18 points for Brandon, while teammate John Paul pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.
 
The Wesmen had four players in double figures with Denzel Lynch-Blair leading the way with 25 points as Winnipeg improved to 4-and-5.
 
Jelane Pryce poured in 15 points, William Sesay had 14 points and Ryan Oirbans posted a double-double with 13 points and 14 boards for Winnipeg.
 
The Bobcats will look to bounce back and split the home-and-home series when they meet the Wesmen in Winnipeg on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.