WINONA, Minn. – The Winona State University men's basketball team opens a stretch of four straight home games with a non-conference matchup opposite Viterbo University on Tuesday. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. in McCown Gymnasium.
Counting a crosstown game at Saint Mary's last week, the Warriors are in the midst of six consecutive games played in Winona. The Warriors have won two straight entering Tuesday's contest. WSU is 10-2 all-time against the V-Hawks including eight straight wins dating back to 2000.
The game will be broadcast live online and locally on HBC25, and can be heard on KQAL Radio.
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PRESEASON PICK: Coming off a 19-10 (14-8 NSIC) season in 2017-18, the Warriors have been voted to finish fourth overall and third in the South Division in 2018-19. Head coach Todd Eisner is in his fourth season at Winona State and guided the Warriors to their most wins last year since the 2013-14 campaign.
HIGH PROFILE EXHBITIONS: The Warriors' 2018-19 season began with a pair of exhibition games on the road against NCAA DI opponents – both who made the NCAA Tournament a year ago. Todd Eisner had a reunion with his college teammate/roommate Porter Moser in the Warriors' 82-52 exhibition loss at Loyola University Chicago. The Ramblers made the NCAA Final Four in 2018. Kevion Taylor scored 22 of his 25 points in the first half of the exhibition. Eisner then returned to his alma matter at Creighton University where WSU dropped a 101-57 decision.
BACK ON TRACK: After a slow start offensively, the Warriors have lit up the scoreboard in their last two outings. WSU averaged 58 points/game over its first two losses of the year and have rebounded with 95.5 ppg over its last two wins. Last season WSU ranked sixth offensively in the NSIC with 78.8 ppg. The defense has also showed a vast improvement over the last two contests, averaging 53.5 ppg after allowing 74.5 ppg over the first two outings. The Warrior defense held Waldorf to just nine points in the second half of an 87-44 victory earlier this month.
DOWNTOWN: Winona State ranked third in the NSIC last year in three-point shooting (40.4%). Caleb Wagner shot 48 percent from beyond the arc while Mason Domask (45%) and Tommy Gathje (40%) each also had career years from downtown. The Warriors shot just 29.8 percent from three-point range of their first two games this season, but have been lights out from downtown in their last two contests at a 55.8 percent clip (29-52).
BREAKOUT SEASON: Junior Caleb Wagner burst onto the scene in 2017-18, playing in all 29 games and making 21 starts. He averaged 12.2 ppg, led the team with 4.7 assists/game and ranked sixth in the NSIC in total assists (135). Wagner's 3.0 assist/turnover ratio last year ranked 14th in the country. Wagner's three-point shooting percentage (48.0) ranked sixth all-time in program history. He dished out 11 assists on two separate occasions which are tied for 15th most in single-game history.
YOUTH MOVEMENT: Sophomores Kevion Taylor and Devin Whitelow each played significant roles in the Warriors' 2017-18 success and will look to continue their on-court improvements in the new year. Taylor was fourth on the team last season in scoring (9.6 ppg) just ahead of Whitelow (9.4). Taylor enters Tuesday's contest leading the team in rebounding (7.0), ranked second on the team in scoring (10.33 ppg) and has posted two straight double-doubles. Dalante Peyton has provided the Warriors a spark off the bench early in his sophomore campaign and currently leads the team in scoring (11.0 ppg).
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: The freshman trio of Nick Klug, Luke Martens and Alec Rosner has appeared in all four games to date for WSU. Martens leads the way with 4.3 ppg and nine rebounds, while Klug's 10 assists rank third on the team.
UP NEXT: The Warriors open their conference slate against Upper Iowa University at 4 p.m. in McCown Gymnasium.
