SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – For the second time in Winona State University head coach Todd Eisner's four-year Warrior tenure, the Warriors have advanced to the conference tournament semifinals. Awaiting the Warriors on Monday night are the two-time defending NSIC outright regular season conference champion, Northern State University Wolves. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. inside the Sanford Pentagon.
NSU won the 2018 NSIC Tournament and ended the season as the NCAA DII National Runner-Up. A win on Monday would earn WSU its first trip to the NSIC Championship Game since 2014. It would also stand as the Warriors' third win in as many tries over a current regionally-ranked team after knocking off both Mankato and Duluth in the past 10 days.
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DOG EAT DOG: Winona State reached Sunday's quarterfinals by knocking off Minnesota Duluth in a road upset in the opening round. The Warriors' opponent, Minnesota Crookston, was also a first round underdog and among the four higher-seeded teams to reach the Pentagon with an upset at Augustana. Four Warriors scored in double digits Sunday led by Caleb Wagner who matched his season high of 24 points. The junior guard also paced WSU in the quarterfinals with six assists and seven rebounds.
SCOUTING NORTHERN: The Wolves (24-6) have won four straight and nine of their last 10 entering play Monday. Northern State is the NSIC's top scoring defense (69.3 ppg) and ranks seventh in scoring offense (79.0). Despite ranking in the middle of the pack offensively, the Wolves lead the league in three-point shooting (41.5%) and are third overall from the field (49.5%). NSU deploys a balanced offense with five players averaging at least 9.5 ppg. Ian Smith leads the pack (13.6 ppg), followed by Justin Decker and Gabe King (11.3 each). Freshman center Parker Fox (11.0) is shooting 58% from the field.
FLASHBACK: Despite trailing in the all-time series, 46-37, Winona State will look to repeat recent history with its 70-68 victory over Northern State in the 2016 NSIC Quarterfinals. That win stands as the Warriors' last in the past four meetings with the Wolves. NSU defeated WSU in Winona earlier this season, 79-68. The Wolves shot 58% from the field (47.6% from downtown) and had five players scored in double digits led by Bo Fries (18). WSU shot only 35.7% (33.3% downtown) and was led by Taylor (17).
PLAY ANOTHER DAY: The Warriors' trio of seniors have all made a huge impact over the past few games in helping WSU extend its season to this point. On Senior Night against Mankato, Tommy Gathje scored a season-high 22 points, and chipped in 12 points with six rebounds vs. Crookston. Charlie Koontz netted a career-high 18 points off the WSU bench Sunday vs. UMC. Mason Domask has knocked down at least one three-pointer in each of his last eight games, going 15-30 from downtown in those contests.
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP: Winona State's Second Team All-NSIC selection Kevion Taylor continues to lead the Warriors in scoring (16.6 ppg) and rebounding (6.4). He ranks ninth in the NSIC in rebounding and 12th in scoring this year. Taylor scored 13 of his 16 points Sunday in the second half, including 13 of the Warriors' final 23 points against Crookston.
RECORD PACE: Sophomore Devin Whitelow added five more assists to his career-high total of 133 on Sunday. He enters Monday's game with an NCAA-leading 6.33 turnover-assist ratio which is on pace to set a new collegiate record across all three divisions. The current record was set last year (5.65) at the DIII level. The DI record is 5.17 and the DII mark is 4.66.
SWIPE RIGHT: Winona State will look to exploit perhaps the Wolves' only weakness which has come in the form of 312 turnovers this season. Conversely, the Warriors have committed a league-low 237 miscues. WSU rank second in the NSIC in turnover margin (+3.17) and is tops with a 1.78 turnover/assist ratio. In their meeting earlier this year, the Warriors forced 11 NSU turnovers and cashed those into 10 points. WSU is averaging over five steals/game led by Whitelow (35) and Dalante Peyton (24).
