The Winnipeg Wesmen snuffed out a third-quarter threat and closed out an impressive victory to open the Lea-Marc Challenge.

The Wesmen men's basketball team used a 20-3 second-half run to pull away from the UNBC Timberwolves and take a 76-53 win at the Duckworth Centre Friday afternoon.

After UNBC trimmed a Winnipeg advantage that was once double digits down to two less than two minutes into the third, the Wesmen held the Timberwolves to just three points the rest of the quarter and went into the fourth ahead 55-38.

The Wesmen got out early with a 9-0 run to start the game capped by Lamar Everd's three just 1:41 into the first quarter. Winnipeg would build its lead to 11 in the second quarter before UNBC found a spark with a 9-2 run that cut the deficit to four. 

Donald Stewart led the Wesmen with 18 points and 12 rebounds while Everd made 4 of 6 from three and finished with 16 points and seven rebounds. Emmanuel Thomas chipped in with 14 points, including two highlight dunks.

Evegeni Baukin led the T-Wolves with 13 points and Will Keyes scored 12. 

Winnipeg outrebounded the visitors 49-37.