Winona, Minn. -- The Winona State University men's basketball team will travel to Augustana University for a two-game series on Friday and Saturday, January 23-24.  Saturday's game will tipoff at 5pm, while Sunday's contest will start at 1pm. 

The Warriors (2-1 overall / 0-0 NSIC South) are well rehearsed in basketball on the road, as all three WSU games so far have seen Winona State as the visitors.  This week's contests represent the first opportunity for division wins, as games against UMD and Upper Iowa were non-conference matchups.

For the Vikings (4-2 overall / 2-2 NSIC South), this weekend's series will be their second-straight stint at home in the Sanford Pentagon, after sweeping Concordia-St. Paul by 40-point margins on January 15-16. AU defeated CSP 106-61 on Friday, Jan. 15 and 91-52 on Saturday, Jan. 16.  Augustana was picked to win the NSIC Southern Division in the 2020-21 NSIC Preseason poll. 

Winona State head coach Todd Eisner and his team picked up their first wins of the season with a sweep of Upper Iowa, downing the Peacocks by two points both days, 81-79 and 92-90.  With the two victories, Eisner moved to an even 80 Warrior wins (80-69) and to within three wins of 500 for his career (497-235). 

Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Player of the Year honoree Kevion Taylor has led Winona State most of the way in the early stages of the season, serving as the top point producer in two of the three WSU outings. 

The Peacock-Warrior series also presented a platform for freshman Connor Dillon to make a strong debut, as he led all scorers on Saturday, Jan. 16, hitting for 22 points, mostly on the strength of a 5-for-6 three-point shooting day.  

Warrior fans are also excited to see NCAA Division I transfer Owen King continue to settle into the lineup, while unsung hero Luke Martens logs significant minutes for Winona State, sitting second behind only Taylor in terms of time on the court.   Senior point guard Devin Whitelow leads Winona State in assists at 16 over their three games and Andrea Lo Biondo joins Taylor atop the rebounding charts, as both have hauled in 19 boards so far this year. 

"The Augustana series provides the Warriors a chance to continue their momentum forward from last weekend's sweep, but will face a tough test versus a top NSIC team."Tyler Riemersma leads the Vikings in scoring at 14.8 points per game and rebounding with a 9.2 rebounds per game mark.

Read on for the tale of the tape between Augustana University and Winona State, who will square off in the Sanford Pentagon on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 22-23 in Sioux Falls, S.D.

To view the Winona State Fan Guide for following Warrior Basketball, please click here.
   
Twice As Nice… With no COVID cancelations on their schedule, Augustana has played all six games so far this year, while the Warriors have completed just three.
 
Three and Six… The Vikings currently are averaging the third-highest points per game in the NSIC (82.8), while the Warriors are sixth at 74.8 per contest.
 
Splits-ville… The two teams faced off twice in 2019-20, with Augustana beating Winona State, 91-78 in Sioux Falls on Dec. 6.  The Warriors earned some revenge after the New Year, defeating the Vikings 79-65 in McCown Gymnasium on Jan. 11.  That contest featured one of Andrea Lo Biondo's best outings, scoring 19 on the day.

Hoping for a Return Trip… Augustana University hosts their home contests in the Sanford Pentagon, which also serves as the location for the NSIC Sanford Health Tournament. WSU has played postseason basketball at the Pentagon the past two seasons and looks to earn a third trip this season.

All-Around Riemersma… The Vikings' Tyler Riemersma – much like WSU's Kevion Taylor – excels in both scoring and rebounding for Augustana.  Both players lead their respective teams in most offensive categories, while also carrying much of the rebounding load.

Keep a Handle on It…Augustana's Matt Todd has nine steals in six games, while Owen King and Luke Martens have three apiece across WSU's three contests.

Feeling Charitable…  Kevion Taylor has earned 20 trips to the foul line for Winona State, where he is 17-for-20 on the year.

It's a Team Thing... Augustana does not have an individual player in the top-five of any NSIC scoring category but are 4-2 on the year.  However, the Vikings' balance has proven to be the potion so far in terms of team success.

It's a Team Thing, Two… As a squad, Augustana is No. 2 in the league in the margin between points scored (82.8) and points allowed (60.7).  Only nationally ranked Northern State has a better mark so far in 2020-21, winning by 18.5 a game.

Lo(w) and Behold… Winona State's 6'9" Andrea Lo Biondo is tops in the NSIC in 3-point field goal percentage, at .667.
 
Clipboard Comments… As noted, WSU's Todd Eisner is three wins away from the 500-win club for his career. Against Upper Iowa last Sunday, Eisner earned his 80th win Winona State. 

Clipboard Comments, Continued…... Augustana's head coach Tom Billeter has led the Vikings for 18 seasons, winning the 2016 NCAA Division II National Championship along the way.


For the most up to date news in Warrior Athletics, please visit: www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and @WinonaStateATH.
About Winona State University Athletics: 

The Winona State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, as an integral part of the educational mission of the institution, is committed to offering opportunities to experience academic and athletic excellence for our student-athletes through two simple words: Graduate Champions.  

Fourteen Warrior programs compete at the NCAA Division II level within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).  Winona State University competes as an affiliate member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in the sport of women's gymnastics.

Media Contact: Pete Watkins, Director of Athletic Communications | Ph: 507.457.5577 | Email: pwatkins@winona.edu