ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Winona State University men's basketball team officially begins its 2018-19 campaign with a pair of games at the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic hosted by Missouri Western University this weekend.
The Warriors have their work cut out for them against two tough opponents in the host Missouri Western Griffons Friday night at 7:30 p.m. and No. 5 Northwest Missouri State on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
Live stats will be provided for both games and a video stream is available at $10 pay per view.
Winona State played exhibition games at Loyola University Chicago and Creighton University two weeks ago as an unofficial start to the new year.
The Warriors are coming off a 19-10 (14-8 NSIC) season in 2017-18, posting their most wins to date in head coach Todd Eisner's tenure at WSU. Winona State has been picked to finish fourth overall in the NSIC this season and third in the South Division.
The Warriors were one of the best three-point shooting teams in the conference last year (40.4%). Caleb Wagner was lights out from downtown, shooting 48 percent, which ranks sixth all-time in single-season program history. Seniors Mason Domask (45%) and Tommy Gathje (40%) each had career years from beyond the arc.
Wagner, who missed the first two exhibition games due to injury, was sixth in the NSIC in total assists (135) and ranked 14th in NCAA DII in assist/turnover ratio (3.0). Senior Connor Flack will miss the entire season due to a knee injury.
Other key returns include sophomores Kevion Taylor and Devin Whitelow who excelled in their freshman campaigns. Transfer Max Miller will give the Warriors depth in the post along with Taylor and redshirt freshman Carter Larson.
Scouting Missouri Western
The Griffons are 1-1 on the young season after opening against a pair of opponents receiving votes in the NCAA DII Top 25 Poll. Missouri Western opened with a close 78-76 loss to Tarleton State before defeating Fairmont State, 80-73.
The Griffons shot 43 percent from downtown in those two games. Lavon Hightower is averaging a team-best 26 ppg, while Bryan Hudson is averaging 14.5 ppg and shooting 82 percent from the field.
Missouri Western struggled in 2017-18, posting a 6-21 overall record. Winona State defeated the Griffons, 71-67, in overtime last year at the Tip-Off Classic.
Scouting Northwest Missouri State
The No. 5-ranked Bearcats are 2-0 to begin the weekend and will face Upper Iowa prior to the matchup with Winona State. Northwest Missouri State open the season with wins over (RV) Northern State, 72-70, in overtime and the defending National Champions No. 13 Ferris State, 100-86.
The Bearcats went 27-4 overall last season winning the MIAA regular season and postseason titles before falling to Minnesota State Mankato in the first round of the NCAA Regional Tournament, 60-50. The Bearcats went 35-1 in 2016-17 and have been a perennial DII powerhouse.
Northwest Missouri State returns a pair of seniors and five upperclassmen from last year's squad. Senior Joey Witthus ranked third on the team last season with 11.9 ppg. Junior Ryan Welty shot a team-best 45.5 percent from beyond the arc in 2017-18. Redshirt freshman Trevor Hudgins is averaging 25.5 ppg over the Bearcats' first two contests of the new year.
