FAYETTE, Iowa - The Winona State University men's basketball team will start their 2021-22 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) season tonight when they travel to Upper Iowa University for a 7:30pm tip-off.
The Warriors (3-0, 0-0 NSIC) are set to take on Upper Iowa (4-0, 0-0 NSIC) in a battle of unbeaten teams as both programs are off to hot starts in 2021-22. Winona State and Upper Iowa both beat Pittsburg State and Henderson State to start the year. WSU also earned a win over Viterbo University at home last week, while UIU grabbed two more wins against Davenport University and Wisconsin - Parkside on the road over the weekend. Head coach
Todd Eisner and the Warriors will look to extend their three game winning streak this season and claim their first NSIC victory as well.
Read on for more regarding the Winona State men's basketball team as they take on Upper Iowa in Fayette, Iowa tonight.
Who: The Winona State men's basketball team will compete on the road in their first NSIC contest at UIU.
What: The Warriors (3-0, 0-0 NSIC) will take on Upper Iowa (4-0, 0-0 NSIC) in the first conference game for either team.
When: Tuesday, Nov. 23, with a 7:30pm start.
Where- Dorman Gymnasium on the campus of Upper Iowa University.
Warrior - Peacock Notables:
Familiar Foes: Winona State and Upper Iowa are separated by less than 100 miles, making the Peacocks the closest NSIC rivals to the Warriors.
Something's gotta give: Upper Iowa is 4-0 on the year, while Winona State is 3-0. The battle of the two unbeatens will also be the NSIC opener for both sides.
Williams wills the way; Rosner rules the Warriors: Upper Iowa is led by Jareese Williams, scoring 20.0 points per game, while Joe Smolt is second in scoring at 15.5. Winona State is led in scoring by Alec Rosner at 17 points per outing with support from Connor Drew and Drew Adams, both at 9.3/game.
Helpers and Handles: UIU has dished out 54 assists while committing 47 turnovers this year. In contrast, WSU has earned 48 assists while turning over the ball 27 times.
Notable Margins: Winona State has averaged a winning margin of 18 points this season, Upper Iowa has won by an average of 14.5 points per game.
Keep up if you can: Winona State men's basketball has yet to trail in a game this year; Upper Iowa came back from a five point deficit to beat Pittsburg State.
That's a stat!: Winona State has won five of the last six meetings between the two teams; two of the most recent four wins were by two points.
That's a stat, too!: Due to Covid cancellations last year, Winona State and Upper Iowa played four times in the 2020-21 season. WSU won three of those four matchups.
Martens on the mark: Luke Martens had 19 points on a 9-of-10 shooting day against the Peacocks on Feb. 20 last year.
More on the Winona State Warriors:
The South is on Top: Winona State & Upper Iowa are two of four NSIC South teams that are unbeaten on the year so far. The NSIC North has three teams yet to lose in 2021-22.
From three to four for more: Winona State's 3-0 start aligns with their 2012-13 season when they took three victories in the Disney Classic at Anaheim, Calif. In that stretch, WSU won three games in three days.
Starting Off with the Peacocks: In 2014-15, Winona State opened NSIC play with Upper Iowa after winning three straight; WSU dropped the Peacocks 89-70 that year to start NSIC play 1-0.
At the foul line: Connor Dillon and Owen King both earned a season high five free throw attempts in the Warriors' most recent outing vs. Viterbo
Adept Adams on the boards: Drew Adams had a season high nine rebounds against the V-Hawks.
No more than four, please: Drew Adams and Devin Whitelow have both earned four fouls in a game this year; Adams has had it happen twice.
I like it out here: Alec Rosner attempted a season-high nine triples in his 28 point game vs. Pittsburg State to open the season.
Familiar faces: After the game Tuesday night is complete, UIU and Winona State will have played five times in the past nine months.
Additional on Upper Iowa:
The Peacocks are unbeaten on the year, sitting at 4-0 after two early-season tournaments. UIU carries a 20-man roster this season, one of the largest squads in the league.
Upper Iowa head coach, Brooks McKowen, is in his ninth season as the head coach. He is 124-110 overall and 89-77 in the NSIC during his first eight years at the helm. The Peacocks have reached the NCAA Tournament once and the NSIC Tournament four times under McKowen.
Jareese Williams is leading the team with 20 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game. Joe Smoldt is the second-leading scorer, averaging 15.5 ppg. Jake Hilmer averages 14 ppg and leads the team at 5 assists per game.
The Peacocks are scoring an average of 82.8 points per game on 46.6% shooting and 41.8% from deep. They allow an average of 71 ppg and force an average of 11.8 turnovers/game.
Upper Iowa was selected to finish third in the NSIC South Divison and fifth overall in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll
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.
