WINONA, Minn. – In their final exhibition before the start of the regular season, the Winona State Warriors took on the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire BluGolds in Talbot gymnasium. A flurry of three point plays were the main feature for both sides but free throws were ultimately the deciding factor as the Warriors defeated Eau Claire in a nail biting finish, 70-65.
A missed three-point attempt to begin the game didn't deter the Warriors from taking the outside shot. Later three straight three pointers were hit, two by
Kyle Bauman and one by
Isaiah Gray as Winona State got off to a 9-0 lead early.
A pair of free throws and a shot from beyond the arc got the BluGolds on the board following a timeout. Winona State followed with a pair of three-point shots of their own, one each from
Corey Jeffs and
Charlie Koontz. Jeffs didn't take long to get on the scoreboard again as he forced a steal and slammed the ball home. Jeffs' hot start continued as he had a three-point play the hard way, scoring as he was fouled on a lay-up attempt before knocking down his free throw attempt.
The BluGolds refused to go down quietly reducing the Warrior lead to 5. A two-minute scoring drought followed as a Blugold jumper dwindled the Winona State lead to three points.
A pair of layups from Koontz and
Riley Bambenek, along with three made free throws between the two players extended the Warriors lead to six with two minutes remaining in the half. Before the half ended the BluGolds held on for the last shot and Josh Weix's buzzer beating two pointer brought UWEC within three, 35-32.
At the half both teams predominantly featured shots from beyond the arc. Winona State went 5-11 following a 5-8 start and the BluGolds went 5-8 overall. The Warriors and Eau Claire both struggled from the charity stripe shooting 50 and 48 percent from the line. Bauman led the Warriors in points with 10 and rebounds with five.
Koontz got things going for the Warriors in the second half as his defensive rebound preceded a three, doubling the Warriors lead to six. Following a brief scoring drought, a 5-0 run from the BluGolds cut the Warriors lead to just two points before a pair of threes from Bambenek and Jeffs gave Winona State breathing room, as their lead grew to eight.
An 8-0 run from Eau Claire that included two straight Warrior turnovers deadlocked the score at 58 with just over eight minutes remaining. The BluGolds took their first lead of the night with five minutes left after a Jack Martinek layup put UWEC up two.
Gray's made free throw ended the Warriors three-minute scoring drought and brought Winona State within one point of the BluGolds. Following a contested missed shot from Eau Claire, Koontz was fouled on his layup attempt before knocking down his two free throws and giving the Warriors a one point lead with just over a minute left.
Bauman followed another miss from Eau Claire as he drained a clutch shot from beyond the arc increasing the Winona State lead to four with 29 seconds yet to play. A Blugold three pointer from Martinek brought Eau Claire within one point moments later. Eau Claire would foul Jeffs, who knocked down both free throws to put Winona State up three. After a BluGolds miss, a pair of free throws from
Connor Flack clinched the 70-65 win.
Quick Hitters:
Bauman led the Warriors in scoring with 17 points while grabbing seven rebounds and shooting 3-5 from beyond the arc.
Koontz led the way in rebounds with eight while scoring 15 points and going 2-3 from three.
Jeffs provided a boost with his two three pointers, five rebounds and 13 points.
Bambenek led both sides in assists with six, while scoring 12 points and compiling six rebounds.
Gray followed with five assists and eight points.
Winona State out shot Eau Claire from the free throw line 19-7.
The Warriors out rebounded the BluGolds 39-29.
Eau Claire's bench outscored the Warriors bench 23-5.
UWEC had 15 points off Warrior turnovers.
The Warriors tip-off the regular season this Saturday against University of Wisconsin-Stout at 7 P.M. in newly renovated McCown Gymnasium.
By: Jake Thiede
