MOORHEAD, Minn. – The Winona State University men's basketball team earned a halftime lead over host Minnesota State – Moorhead on Friday, but the Dragons regrouped in the second half to storm back and deal the Warriors a 76-67 setback.
 
In the opening game of the Microtel Thanksgiving Classic, Winona State watched Alec Rosner put together another superb offensive effort on the road, as the junior guard from Appleton, Wis. rarely missed regardless of from where he was shooting. Rosner scored 23 points, going 4-for-4 from 3-point land, 3-for-4 from the free throw line and was 8-of-12 overall in the game. The 23-point outburst was Rosner's second highest performance of the year so far, just shy of his 28-point day in the Winona State season opener against Pittsburg State.
 
WSU was up 36-29 at the break, but the Dragons' clawed back in the game with a pair of 10-point runs in the middle of the second half.  They eventually took the lead when Gavin Baumgartner hit a 3-pointer with just over 10 minutes to go, giving MSU-M a 56-54 advantage.  Winona State pulled within one point three minutes later when Rosner scored a three pointer off an assist from Owen King, but the Dragons pulled away in the contests final eight minutes.
 
Winona State point guard Devin Whitelow was second in scoring for the Warriors with 11 points, while Owen King added eight points and five boards.  Luke Martens earned the hard half of a double-double with 11 rebounds and scored seven points in the game. 
 
For MSU-Moorhead, Dane Zimmer had 18 points, while Jaden Stanley-Williams and Jacob Beeninga each had 14.
 
Winona State will look to battle back tomorrow, Saturday Nov. 27, when they take on the University of Mary.  Tip off against the Marauders is set for 1pm in Nemzek Fieldhouse.