ST. PAUL, Minn. – A balanced scoring attack coupled with a sound defensive effort Saturday night saw Winona State University return to the win column with an 82-66 triumph at Concordia University, St. Paul. Sophomore Kevion Taylor paced the Warriors with 19 points.
WSU snapped a three-game skid with the win to get back to the .500 mark (5-5 2-3 NSIC). Concordia falls to 4-6 (0-5 NSIC).
The Warriors bucked the trend that typically sees the home team reach the free throw line more frequently and continued to be one of the best shooting teams from the charity stripe in the league. WSU had 24 trips compared to just 12 by CSP. Taylor was perfect in nine attempts from the free throw line and added a team-best seven rebounds.
WSU knocked down nine three-pointers for the third straight game as the Warriors continue to look for a consistent rhythm from beyond at arc. Senior Mason Domask went 3-6 from downtown and sophomore Dalante Peyton was 3-5.
Taylor, Caleb Wagner and Devin Whitelow each chipped in 11 points in the first half as Winona State took a 45-37 advantage into the break. A three-pointer by Domask opened up a 10-point lead for WSU with five minutes remaining in the first half, and a runner in the lane by Wagner extended the Warrior lead to 13 points.
The Golden Bears slashed their deficit to just six points late in the opening half, but a fastbreak layup by Luke Martens halted the home team's run into halftime.
The Warriors saw their lead shrink to 55-50 at the 13:31 mark of the second half before Peyton and Wagner drilled back-to-back threes. Peyton continued to feel it from downtown as he stepped up for two buckets from long range on two straight possessions to pad WSU's lead back to 69-56 with 10:30 left on the clock.
Another fastbreak layup by Martens extended the Warrior lead to 17 points at the 9:03 mark. Despite that basket standing as WSU's final field goal of the contest, the Warriors went 9-10 from the free throw line over the remainder of the game to seal the victory.
Winona State forced 11 Golden Bear turnovers on the night which the Warriors converted into 21 points on the opposite end of the court.
Wagner dished out five of WSU's 13 assists.
The Warriors continue a stretch of four straight road games with their final non-conference tilt of the season on Wednesday, December 19 at Michigan Tech. Tipoff is set for 4:30 p.m. in Houghton, Michigan.
