WINONA, Minn. – The Winona State University women's basketball team completed its first weekend sweep of the season with a 64-50 victory over Sioux Falls on Saturday evening in McCown Gymnasium. The Warriors were nearly unstoppable in the second quarter, outscoring the Cougars by 18 in the frame en route to their triumph.
WSU used a 25-2 run over the final eight minutes of the second period to take a commanding 34-21 lead into halftime after the Warriors trailed 14-9 entering the second quarter. Including in that offensive explosion where 17 unanswered WSU points leading into the break which the Warriors extended to 19-straight points to open the third frame.
Winona State was clutch all night from the charity stripe, going 15-of-17 from the line as the Warriors' opponent found themselves in early foul trouble for the second straight contest.
The Warriors were limited to just two field goals in the opening quarter, but a three-pointer by Julia Silloway banked off the glass and through the net with eight seconds remaining, and that shot proved to spark the home team heading into the second quarter.
Winona State came out with guns blazing in the second period, shooting 57 percent from the field. The Cougars recorded the first two baskets of the quarter, to extend their lead to 19-9, but it was all Warriors from there. Allie Pickrain's three-pointer at the 5:21 mark ignited the 17-point run into halftime.
Out of the break, Winona State maintained a double-digit lead for the majority of the third frame as USF cut its lead back to single digits on just two possessions. Consecutive three-pointers from Pickrain and Silloway lifted the Warriors to their largest lead of the game at 16 points midway through the quarter.
The Cougars inched their way back into the ballgame in fourth quarter, shrinking the WSU lead to seven points in the opening minutes, but the determined Warriors kept their foot on the gas by shooting 47 percent in the final frame.
Senior Kayla Schaefer paced Winona State with 14 points in the win. It was a balanced scoring attack by the Warriors with Pickrain netting 13 points, Gabie Doud recording nine, while Emily Kieck and Rachel Novotny scored eight apiece.
The Warriors dominated the boards with a 38-26 rebounding advantage, including 11 offensive rebounds. Doud pulled down a career-best 12 boards.
Winona State improves to 10-8 (8-6 NSIC) while USF falls to 13-7 (8-6 NSIC) and into a tie with WSU in the NSIC South.
The Warriors return to the road next weekend for games at Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State.
