WINONA, Minn. – The Winona State men's basketball team ensured itself a home game to open the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament with a 75-62 win over Wayne State Friday evening at Rice Auditorium in Wayne, Neb.

The Warriors will be no lower than the No. 3 seed in the NSIC South Division when the conference tournament opens play Wednesday in McCown Gymnasium.

Conrad Masberg and Isaiah Gray led the Warriors with 15 points apiece, while Riley Bambenek scored 13 and Kyle Bauman added 11. Charlie Koontz led the Warriors with eight rebounds.

Masberg scored the first five points of the game for the Warriors to put WSU up 5-3, however the Wildcats led 12-5 minutes later. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Masberg and Bambenek put the Warriors up 26-19 at the 8:03 mark. A fastbreak layup from Nick Arenz put the Warriors up double digits at 35-25 and a jumper from Bauman at the first half buzzer gave WSU a 40-27 advantage.

The Warriors controlled the game comfortably throughout the second half, never allowing the game to reach single digits. Gray hit a 3-pointer with 13:24 to play to put the Warriors up 20, 54-34, and although the Wildcats cut the lead in half 62-52 by the 5:24 mark, the Warriors were able to cruise to the victory.

Winona State (14-11, 13-8 NSIC) closes out the regular season Saturday when it travels to Sioux Falls to take on Augustana at 6 p.m. inside Sioux Falls Arena.