BRANDON – The Canada West basketball season came to a close for the Brandon Bobcats this weekend, as both the men's and women's teams fell in their respective play-in games on the road.

Despite the losses on the hardwood, the postseason action continues for Brandon University as the men's volleyball team prepares for a trip to Saskatoon.

Men's Basketball: Bisons 79, Bobcats 68

VANCOUVER – In a game defined by wild momentum swings, the No. 12 seeded Bobcats pushed the No. 5 Manitoba Bisons to the brink before falling 79-68 at War Memorial Gym.

After trailing at halftime, Brandon exploded in the third quarter, outscoring the Bisons 26-17 to take a two-point lead heading into the final frame. The Bobcats led by as many as four late in the third, fuelled by an aggressive attack that saw them get to the free-throw line frequently.

However, the Bisons responded with a decisive 14-2 run to open the fourth quarter, reclaiming a lead they would not relinquish.

Sultan Haider-Bhatti capped off a stellar season with a game-high 21 points and seven rebounds. The Brandon star played 37 minutes, drawing the defensive attention of Manitoba's Mason Kraus, who countered with 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Bisons.

Rookie Munroop Gill stepped up in his Canada West playoff debut, scoring 13 points for the Bobcats. Travis Hamberger and Youri Cange added 12 points apiece, with Cange adding three steals on the defensive end.

The loss ends a campaign where Brandon fought into the 12th and final playoff spot, setting the stage for a young core to build on the experience.

Women's Basketball: UBCO Heat 86, Bobcats 70

REGINA – Making their first postseason appearance in almost a decade, the Bobcats showed no signs of stage fright but ultimately fell 86-70 to the UBC Okanagan Heat in a neutral-site game at the University of Regina.

Piper Ingalls was electric for Brandon, pouring in a game-high 26 points. She was supported by Macaya Copeland, who finished with 21 points, while Ella Averill chipped in 15.

The game remained a two-possession affair early in the third quarter before the Heat found their rhythm from beyond the arc. UBCO utilized an 11-2 run in the third and a 7-0 run in the fourth to pull away. Kanani Coon led the Heat with 22 points, hitting five three-pointers.

Despite the deficit, the Bobcats battled to the final buzzer, cutting the lead to 10 with under two minutes remaining before the Heat sealed the victory. Jayna Maytwayashing anchored the Bobcats on the glass with a team-high nine rebounds.

Men's Volleyball: Playoff Preview

With basketball concluding, attention shifts to the volleyball court where the Bobcats enter the postseason as the No. 10 seed. Brandon (7-13) will travel to face the No. 7 Saskatchewan Huskies (9-11) in a best-of-three play-in series.

The Huskies secured the higher seed via a set-ratio tiebreaker over Mount Royal. The winner of the series will advance to face the Trinity Western Spartans in the quarter-finals.

Series Schedule (at Saskatchewan):

• Game 1: Thursday, Feb. 19 – 6:00 p.m.

• Game 2: Friday, Feb. 20 – 6:00 p.m.

• Game 3: Saturday, Feb. 21 – 2:00 p.m. (if necessary)

Fans can watch the road playoff games live on Canada West TV.