JAMESTOWN, N.D. (JimmieAthletics.com) –

A 23-3 second half run by the University of Winnipeg turned an eight-point deficit into a 12-point lead, and the Wesmen held on to defeat the Universtiy of Jamestown men’s basketball team 86-77 Friday night at Harold Newman Arena.

Jamestown (0-1) had its largest lead of the game after Marc Kjos (FR/Lake City, MN) knocked down a three-pointer to make it 65-57 with 11:17 to play.

Narcisse Ambanza’s basket with 5:23 remaining keyed a 17-0 run that put Winnipeg ahead 74-66. Jack Talley (JR/Sioux Falls, SD) ended UJ’s five minute, sixteen second scoreless drought with a jumper on the next possession cut the lead to 74-68. Ambanza drained back-to-back three-pointers and Winnipeg went ahead by 12.

The Jimmies trailed by as many eight points with 2:15 in the first half, but a Jack Frazier (SR/Salem, OR) free throw and two baskets by Mason Walters (FR/Jamestown, ND) made it 48-45 at the break. Jamestown’s first lead of the night (55-53) came after Brock Schrom (JR/Grand Rapids, MN) banked a shot from the low post with 14:58 to play.

Talley finished with career-highs in points (32) and three-pointers (7). He also grabbed six rebounds. Schrom and Terrell Alfred (SR/Orlando, FL) were also in double figures with ten points each. Schrom pulled down eight rebounds and blocked four shots. Isaiah Dobson (SR/Stillwater, MN) dished out seven assists to go along with his nine points.

Ambanza and Don Dayrit each had 21 points to lead the Wesmen. Spas Nikolov added 11 and William Sesay narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and a game-high 17 rebounds.

Winnipeg outrebounded the Jimmies 57-35 and also had the advantage in second chance points (15-3) and points off the bench (36-12).

The two teams are back in action tomorrow for the second day of the Cedric Smith Classic. Winnipeg faces Valley City State (N.D.) at 2 p.m. while Jamestown takes on Brandon University at 4 p.m.