WINONA, Minn. – Winners of five of their last seven games, the Warrior men's basketball team returns to McCown Gymnasium for their final two tilts against NSIC North opponents this season. Tipoff with Minot State is set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday with the ballgame against UMary slated for 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.
The Warriors are 2-4 against the North and can even the season series, and more importantly, return to .500 overall with a weekend sweep. Minot and Mary sport the two lowest-scoring offenses in the NSIC this year, but above average defenses and a stout Warrior unit could produce a pair of competitive games on the court.
This weekend, Winona State will take part in the NSIC's "It's a Slam Dunk – Don't Drive Drunk" Campaign in its seventh year. Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) members will be collecting signatures from fans pledging not to drive drunk. Learn more here.
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SCOUTING MINOT: The Beavers (10-15, 5-11 NSIC) have won three of their last five entering Friday's matchup, despite being tied for last place in the NSIC North. Minot State's lone road win in nine tries this season came during that recent stretch with a 75-70 win at Sioux Falls last month. The Beavers have relied on their seventh-ranked defense this season (73.0 ppg) as its offense ranks second-to-last in the NSIC in scoring (72.2). Minot's scoring woes stem from its league-leading 296 turnovers. When the Beavers are holding onto the ball, they rank third in the NSIC in shooting (49.1%). David Akibo ranks seventh in the NSIC in scoring (19.2 ppg), fourth in rebounding/game (8.0) and ninth in blocks/game (1.3). Cody Max is second in the conference with 6.0 assists/game.
SCOUTING MARY: The Marauders (10-12, 7-9 NSIC) have won three of their last four heading into the weekend, and will travel to Upper Iowa Friday night before the weekend finale. Included in their recent success, the Marauders posted an impressive 101-87 win over Augustana last weekend. Fans can expect a defensive battle on Saturday between Mary (70.0 ppg) and WSU (71.1), who rank third and sixth, respectively, in scoring defense this year. The Marauders rank last in the NSIC in scoring offense (71.4) and their 42.8% clip from the field ranks last, just ahead of the Warriors (43.9%). Mary's 289 turnovers are the third-most in the league. Jaylan White (14.0 ppg) leads a group of four Marauders scoring in double digits this season. Matthew Kreklow is averaging 6.0 rebounds/game and ranks third in the NSIC with 1.8 blocks/game.
NO DAYS OFF: With the exception of Brandon Myer (DNP) at Duluth last weekend, Winona State has faced off against five of the top scorers in the NSIC this season over the past month. The Warriors successfully held three of those players below their season scoring average. The NSIC's leading scorer, Ryan Bruggeman (25.4 ppg), eclipsed his average with 29 against WSU but was limited to just seven points in the second half of play. On Friday, the Warriors will face another top offensive threat in David Akibo.
SWIPE RIGHT: The Warriors' defensive success this season has been due in large part to their ability to create turnovers. WSU ranks sixth in the league in forcing opponent miscues (260) and is seventh in steals/game (6.05). Devin Whitelow leads the team in total steals (30), followed by Dalante Peyton (23). While the defense is providing turnovers, the offense continues to lead the league with the fewest this season (176). WSU is tied for the Division II lead with the fewest turnovers/game (8.0). The Warriors' +3.82 turnover margin ranks second in the conference. Whitelow leads all DII players with a 5.59 assist/turnover ratio. He's already recorded a career-best 95 assists this year and ranks fifth in the NSIC in assist/game (4.3).
NEW YEAR, BETTER ME: For the second straight year, Kevion Taylor has found another gear offensively in the second half of the season. Taylor averaged 9.6 ppg during his freshman campaign which saw him averaging 12.3 ppg over the second half of the season. The sophomore leads WSU in scoring this year (16.8) and averaged 22.6 ppg over eight January games. Taylor scored a career-best 32 points at Bemidji State last month and has recorded at least 20 points in six of his last eight games overall.
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY: The Warriors have been playing with a five-man bench for most of the season, but that limited number has produced plenty of effective minutes. Senior Charlie Koontz (6.7 ppg) has been the veteran presence to help lead four underclassmen off the bench. Peyton (5.9) is shooting over 42% from the field and downtown, while Alec Rosner (4.1) has led a trio of freshman in the scoring column.
LUCKY #13: WSU is 6-0 this season when burying at least 13 three-pointers in a game and 8-2 when sinking at least 11 from downtown. The Warriors got off to a slow start this year from beyond the arc, but have shot 44.4% (87-196) over their last seven games from three-point land. Taylor's 51 three-pointers lead the team while Koontz (50%) and Mason Domask (43%) have the best percentages.
