FAYETTE, Iowa – Fresh off a two week holiday break, Winona State University returns to the hardwood on Sunday afternoon with an NSIC tilt at Upper Iowa University. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m. in the Warriors' first game since December 15th.
Winona State (5-4, 3-2 NSIC) split a pair of weekend games its last time out. The Warriors won a thrilling double overtime affair at Minnesota State Mankato, 79-69, before the offense went cold in a 53-49 loss the following day.
WSU dominated the second overtime period over the Mavericks, 14-4, to pick up the victory. Gabie Doud, who had missed the previous five games, paced the Warriors in the second OT with six points and finished the game with 13. Kayla Schaefer led the way with a game-high 19 points against Mankato. Rachel Novotny had a team-high 11 points in the Warriors' loss at CSP the next day.
Novotny leads WSU and ranks 14th in the NSIC with 7.1 rebounds/game. The senior ranks second on the team with 11.4 points/game. Sophomore Allie Pickrain is averaging a team-best 11.9 ppg. Doud is averaging 11.0 points in four games, followed by Schaefer (10.4 ppg).
The Warriors are still looking to find their offensive groove this season, averaging just 63.6 ppg which ranks 12th in the league. Winona State has been sharp defensively, however, limiting opponents to just 59.6 ppg which ranks fifth in the NSIC. The Warriors have capitalized this on second-chance opportunities off the glass, ranking fifth in offense rebounds/game (13.2).
Following Sunday's tilt, the Warriors return home for a weekend doubleheader on January 4-5 against Minnesota State Moorhead and Northern State in McCown Gymnasium.
Scouting Upper Iowa
The Peacocks (3-10, 0-5) are mired in a six-game losing streak. Upper Iowa's last win came on November 24th and preceded a 74-48 loss to Winona State that began the Peacocks' current skid. UIU coughed up 23 turnovers and was out-rebounded 38-20 in its last meeting with the Warriors this season.
The Peacocks rank last in the NSIC in both scoring offense (55.8 ppg) and scoring defense (71.4 ppg) this season. UIU has committed a league-high 295 turnovers on the year.
Natalie Dinius (10.5 ppg) leads Upper Iowa in scoring followed by Savannah Domeyer (9.6) off the bench. Domeyer is shooting a team-best 52.6 percent from the field. Dinius is shooting 34.8 percent from beyond the arc. Haley Martin has pulled down a team-high 5.9 rebounds/game.
