WINONA, Minn. – In their first of two exhibition games to start the season the Winona State Warriors hosted the Carroll Pioneers. Winona State overcame a turnover plagued first half to defeat Carroll 69-56 by shooting over 54% in the second half.
Seven turnovers from the Warriors allowed Carroll to jump out to a 12-4 lead six minutes in to the game. Just over three minutes later Winona State took their first and only lead of the half as a pair of free throws from
Connor Flack gave the Warriors a 13-12 advantage.
Carroll's aggressive defense forced six steals to begin the game. The final ten minutes of the first half featured more fundamentally sound basketball from the Warriors, which allowed them to get back in the game. Neither team could get an edge over the other by the buzzer and the Warriors and Pioneers entered half time deadlocked at 30.
Winona State shot 50% from the field and 25% from three (2-8) in the first half. The Warriors finished 8-8 from the foul line in the first 20 minutes. The 8-1 advantage for WSU from the free throw line was an important factor in the half. Carroll shot 37.5% from the field but outscored the Warriors 15-6 from behind the arc.
At the half guard
Riley Bambenek led the Warriors with 11 points, shooting 5-10 from the field including one from three.
Bambenek got the Warriors their second lead of the game as his layup gave Winona State a two-point advantage to begin the second half. Winona State continued to build off that shot, increasing their advantage to 11 points with just over 12 minutes to go. Carroll would hit a pair of threes to cut the Warriors lead to five with ten minutes left in the game.
The Warriors hot start to begin the second half was due in large part to winning the turnover battle 4-3 while out rebounding Carroll 10-6.
Kyle Bauman had five rebounds in the first ten minutes of the second half.
Carroll got as close as four, 54-50, before a 7-0 run from the Warriors put them back up 11 with five minutes remaining. Winona State refused to let the Pioneers back in the game in the waning minutes to pick up the 69-56 win.
Winona State would end up dominating the boards, winning that battle 42-18. The Pioneers handled the ball well, finishing with just nine turnovers in the game.
The Warriors were able to outshoot the Pioneers in every facet but the biggest advantage was a 52.4-32.7% difference from the field. Winona State finished 19-21 from the foul line in the game.
Quick Hitters:
- Bambenek led all scorers with 21 points including three made three pointers while getting four assists and one steal.
- Corey Jeffs had 12 points off the bench.
- Winona State's bench contributed 18 points, ten more than the Pioneers.
- Flack and Bauman each finished with nine points.
- Jeffs (6-6) and Flack (5-5) each finished perfect from the charity stripe.
- Three Warriors tied for the team lead with seven rebounds, those were Bauman, Isaiah Gray, and Connor Flack.
- Bauman led the Warriors with two blocks and Flack led in steals with three.
- Winona State's second and final exhibition game is Monday at 7 p.m. vs University of Wisconsin Eau Claire in Talbot gymnasium.
- The Warriors tip off their regular season against University of Wisconsin Stout on November 12 at 7 p.m. in the newly renovated McCown gymnasium.
By Jake Thiede
