Duluth, Minn -- Winona State had a tough time connecting from behind the arc and could not contain the Bulldogs as Minnesota Duluth defeated the Warriors 81-59 in the men's basketball season opener for both teams. 

Playing for the first time in over 10 months, much of the WSU offense struggled to find a rhythm in Romano Gymnasium, although NSIC South Preseason Player-of-the-Year Kevion Taylor had 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the floor.  Dalante Peyton delivered double-digits for the Warriors, scoring 11 and picking up a pair of steals in 29 minutes of work. Senior guard Devin Whitelow lead the team in both assists and rebounds, with five helpers and six boards. 

UMD drained 13 three-pointers and Bulldog Drew Blair looked to be in mid-season form, scoring 27 to lead all participants.  Austin Andrews assembled a strong outing as well, grabbing seven boards and notching 17 points. 

For Winona State, twelve players saw the court on the day, with Taylor and Whitelow leading the way, both logging over 30 minutes of work. Declan Dillon's debut for the Warriors saw him go 2-for-2 from three-point land, while Luke Martens came off the bench to play 28 minutes. 

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Winona State (0-1 overall / 0-0 NSIC South) will look to rebound tomorrow, when they take on the Bulldogs (1-0 overall / 0-0 NSIC North) in the second game their season-opening weekend.  Tip-off for the contest is at 4pm; the NSIC Network broadcast is available beginning at 3:45pm at this link. 

The 2020-21 Winona State Fan Guide for ways to watch the Warriors can be found here. 

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