WINONA, Minn. – The Winona State University men's basketball team will seek its first winning road trip of the season this weekend with stops at Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State. Tipoff against the Golden Eagles is slated for 7:30 p.m. on Friday with the finale set for 5:30 p.m. on Saturday with the Beavers.
The Warriors (6-10, 3-7 NSIC) picked up a huge win their last time out with a decisive 87-67 victory at Augustana University. The victory halted WSU's five-game skid. Winona State has split each of its first two weekend road trips this season and is 3-5 overall away from home. The Warriors were swept on this same road trip in 2017-18.
Winona State found its shooting stroke at Augustana, recording a 53.6% clip from the field and a 50% effort (16-32) from downtown. The Warriors' shooting percentage was its best since shooting 61.5% in a blowout win against Saint Mary's, and their 16 three-pointers matched a season high. Overall, WSU is shooting a league-low 43% from the field and ranks 11th from beyond the arc (36.4%). The Warriors are 14th in the league in scoring offense (74.4 ppg).
Winona State ranks seventh in the league in scoring defense (71.4 ppg), and continues to be one of the best in the NSIC at ball control. The Warriors' 1.54 assist/turnover ratio ranks second in the league and their +3.13 turnover margin is third. WSU has committed the fewest turnovers in the conference (138). Devin Whitelow's 5.0 assist/turnover ratio is the best in all of Division II. The sophomore's 4.1 assists/game rank sixth in the NSIC.
Three Warriors are averaging double digits in the scoring column this year, led by Kevion Taylor with 14.3 ppg. Caleb Wagner (11.5) and Tommy Gathje (10.3) round out the leaders. Whitelow has chipped in 9.2 ppg to go along with a team-best 65 assists and 19 steals. Taylor also leads the Warriors on the glass with 6.3 rebounds/game. Charlie Koontz is next with 4.7.
Following the road trip, Winona State returns home for a weekend homestand with Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls on January 25-26.
Scouting Crookston
After setting a program record with 10 wins in 2017-18, the Golden Eagles (11-8, 4-6 NSIC) have already surpassed that mark with a solid start this season. Crookston has won four of its last six games, including a 79-63 victory in a non-conference tilt to Jamestown earlier this week.
The Golden Eagles rank fifth in the NSIC in scoring offense (80.1 ppg) and sit just behind WSU in scoring defense (72.4) at eighth in the league. Crookston is in the middle of the pack in shooting percentage (46.7%), but excels from downtown at 41.6%. The Eagles' 168 total three-pointers made rank second in the NSIC. Crookston has also had success on the offensive glass, pulling down 10.6 offensive rebounds per game which is third in the league. The Eagles' +4.67 turnover margin is tops in the league as they have forced a league-best 250 opponent turnovers. They also rank third in the NSIC in block shots/game (4.83).
Harrison Cleary ranks second in the conference and 12th in Division II in scoring this season (23.2 ppg). He averages 3.1 three-pointers per game and shoots 50.5% from beyond the arc. Cleary is also the best free throw shooter in the NSIC (94%). Chase Knickerbocker (10.9 ppg) and Ben Juhl (10.8) round out the scoring leaders. Gable Smith is averaging 2.4 blocks/game.
Winona State has dominated the all-time series, 29-3, but suffered a 73-56 loss at Crookston last season.
Scouting Bemidji State
The Beavers (4-10, 1-9 NSIC) host Upper Iowa on Friday night before the Warriors come to town. Bemidji has lost nine straight entering the weekend and resides at the bottom of the NSIC North standings.
The Beavers rank 13th in the league in both scoring offense (76.4 ppg) and scoring defense (79.0). Despite ranking near the bottom of the league in scoring, the Beavers are third in the NSIC in field goal shooting (48.4%) and fourth in three-point shooting (39.9%). Bemidji State has committed the fourth-most turnovers in the league (197) which the Warriors' active defense will look to exploit.
Derek Thompson (15.4 ppg), Logan Bader (12.9), Jacob Hoffman (10.8) and Ja Morgan (10.1) are the Beavers' scoring leaders. Thompson ranks fourth in the league by shooting 59.5% and Morgan has an NSIC-leading 5.9 assists/game.
Winona State leads the all-time series, 87-71. The teams have split the last four meetings, while Bemidji State won at home last season over the Warriors, 76-67.
