WINONA, Minn. - Winona State meets up with Minot State in the first round of the Sanford Health NSIC Tournament for the second time in as many years. Tipoff inside McCown Gymnasium is set for 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The first 200 Winona State students receive free entry to the game.
The Warriors and Beavers have already had one meeting this season where WSU bested Minot State in their largest margin of victory this season (38). The Warrior women have come out victorious in their last four first-round matchups and look to repeat last year's performance against Minot State, propelling them deep into the conference tournament.
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SCOUTING THE BEAVERS: Since losing to the Warriors back in early February, Minot State has won three of its final five games to close out the regular season sweeping the likes of Upper Iowa, Minnesota Crookston, and Bemidji State. The Beavers closed out the season this past weekend with a pair of losses against MSU Moorhead and Northern State. MSU improved one spot in the North Division locking up the fifth seed and a date with the Warriors. Over their last five contest the Beavers continue to shoot the ball at a high rate averaging 50% from the field and 37% from the beyond the arc. Minot State finished the season second in the league in field goal percentage (44%) but continues to show signs of being undisciplined, turning the ball over 63 times and committing 16 fouls per game over the past three weekends. Madison Wald remains the Beaver's top scorer averaging 17.5 PPG over her last four games including three games over 20 points.
PLAYOFF HISTORY: Winona State has been a staple in the NSIC Tournament in recent years dating back to the 2015-16 season. The Warriors have reached the semifinals in each of the past three seasons while making an appearance in the NSIC Championship game just last year. Last season's road to the finals ran through Minot State where the Warriors narrowly defeated the Beavers, 66-60. A game that WSU had command of in the first half turned into a gritty performance down the stretch as the Beavers erases a 10-point Warrior lead in the final frame. Kayla Schaefer's eight points in the fourth along with Gabie Doud's clutch free-throw shooting helped Winona State seal the victory for the Warriors.
DÉJÀ VU: The Warriors are confident heading into Wednesday's matchup with the Beavers seeing as how WSU has already defeated Minot State on their home court once season. Just three weeks ago, Winona State defeated MSU handily, 84-46, in a Friday night matchup that etched this year's team into the record book. The Warriors unloaded fifteen three-pointers that night, tying a third place mark all-time for most three's in a game.
RECORD PACE: Sophomore Allie Pickrain is known throughout the league for her ability to shoot the three ball. In her rookie season, the NSIC Freshman of the Year drained an unprecedented 74 shots from beyond the arc landing her in a tie for fifth on the Warriors all-time single-season list. The Apple Valley, Minn. native continues to electrify the crowd recording another 62 three's this season giving her a total of 136 in her young career — a mark that is eighth all-time. Recently, the sophomore standout sank seven three's against Wednesday's opponent, Minot State, etching herself in a tie for fifth for three's in a single game. If Pickrain continues to shoot at the rate she has been the past two seasons, Winona State could be seeing a new bar set for three-point shooters by the end of her career.
LEADING THE WAY: Heading into what Winona State hopes to be another deep playoff run, the Warriors look to leverage a balance of experience with a dash of young flair. The core four starters this season consist of seniors Rachel Novotny and Kayla Schaefer coupled with sophomore sensations Allie Pickrain and Emily Kieck. The experienced pair of Novotny and Schaefer bring a wealth of postseason expertise to the starting lineup as Schaefer has been a part of three Warrior squads that have made deep runs into the NSIC Tournament. Novotny, in her second season as a Warrior, has asserted herself on the glass as a top-10 rebounder in the NSIC nabbing an average of 7 boards per game. The sophomore duo of Pickrain and Kieck provide the scoring for Winona State each averaging 10-plus points a night and continue to impress crowds with their ability to shoot the three-pointer. Pickrain alone is shooting a respectable 36% form beyond the arc averaging 2.4 three's per night.
FLIPPING THE SCRIPT: Winona State has shown an improvement over the course of the season when it comes to committing turnovers. The Warriors started out as a team that committed close to 20 per game but have severely shrunk that number to just over 12, a mark that is currently 12thin the nation. Additionally, the Warriors rank 17th in fewest turnovers committed (321).
