The Winnipeg Wesmen are heading into the conference season looking like a heavy-hitter once again. 

Alberto Gordo had 16 points on 7-for-9 shooting and the Wesmen men's basketball team cruised to its seventh straight pre-season victory, defeating the OUA's Algoma Thunderbirds 84-45 Friday at the Lea Marc Challenge at the Duckworth Centre.

Gordo added five rebounds for the Wesmen, who will open Canada West play at home Oct. 26 against the Brandon Bobcats. Winnipeg will enter that game winners of its last six games against U Sports opponents having given up fewer than 70 points in each of those games.

It was the second straight game the Wesmen held an opponent to under 5 points. 

Ryan Luke had a game-high nine rebounds along with 11 points. Donald Stewart also scored 11, with six rebounds, and Elijah Mensah and Kato Jaro both scored 10 as the veterans eventually gave way to rookies who played the lion's share of the fourth quarter. 

Winnipeg led 26-10 after a quarter and carried a 47-21 advantage into halftime.

The Wesmen held Algoma to 3 of 17 shooting from three and 32.7 per cent overall from the field. The Wesmen shot 50 per cent from the field and made 7-for-26 from three.

Winnipeg forced the Thunderbirds into 24 turnovers and cashed in 39 points off the miscues. 

Kal-El Alejo led Algoma with eight points and five rebounds.