WINONA, Minn. – Winona State University returns to the road for the first time in four weeks for a pair of games to close out the 2017 calendar year. The Warriors travel to Minnesota Crookston on Saturday prior to a New Year's Eve date at Bemidji State.
Both games are scheduled to tip at 3:30 p.m.
The Warriors are carrying a season-best four-game winning streak into the weekend.
Sophomore Caleb Wagner is the reigning NSIC South Division Player of the Week after averaging 17.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.7 rebounds over the Warriors' last three games. He recorded two double-doubles of 16 points and 11 assists last week. WSU is 4-0 since Wagner was inserted in the starting lineup.
The Warriors have used a balanced scoring attack this season with five players averaging double digits. Mason Domask overtook the team scoring leaderboard last week and enters the weekend averaging 13.1 ppg. The junior also leads WSU in shooting (58.8%) and three-point field goal percentage (54.2%). Domask ranks fourth in the NSIC in field goal shooting.
Senior Corey Jeffs ranks second in scoring (12.8 ppg) and is the Warriors' top rebounder (5.3 rpg). Tommy Gathje (12.6), Devin Whitelow (11.5) and Wagner (10.3) round out the scoring leaders. Whitelow is expected to return to action this weekend after missing the Warriors' last four games.
Winona State ranks fifth in the NSIC in both offensive scoring (80.8 ppg) and defensive scoring (71.2 ppg). The Warriors collective 42.9% effort from three-point range is second-best in the league. Winona's 1.51 assist/turnover ratio also ranks second.
WSU knocked down a season-best 16 three-pointers its last game against Michigan Tech while dishing out a new high of 23 assists.
Scouting Crookston
The Golden Eagles (6-6, 3-3 NSIC) picked up a 65-50 at Bemidji prior to the holiday break. That victory marked Crookston's first in Bemidji since 1994, and first season sweep of the Beavers since 1927.
Crookston ranks just ahead of Winona State in scoring average (81.0 ppg), and right behind the Warriors in three-point shooting (41.9%).
Harrison Cleary leads the NSIC in scoring average (23.7 ppg). The sophomore is shooting 45% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. Alan Hodge Jr. is averaging 16.8 ppg on 45% shooting from three-point range.
Gable Smith leads the league with 3.8 blocked shots/game and ranks 13th in rebounding (6.3 rpg).
Winona State has won seven straight against Crookston.
Scouting Bemidji
The Beavers (5-6, 2-4 NSIC) host Upper Iowa on Saturday before welcoming the Warriors to Bemidji on Sunday. BSU has dropped four of its last six contests entering the weekend.
Bemidji ranks near the bottom of the NSIC in scoring (72.3 ppg) and shooting (45.3%).
Jai'Vonne Green leads the Beavers offensively with 13.5 ppg.
The Warriors have won five straight contests against the Beavers.
