Winona, Minn. -- The Winona State University men's basketball team will head to Minnesota State-Mankato for a series on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 5-6 for a pair of key Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) South matchups. The Mavericks and Warriors will start at 6pm Friday and 2pm Saturday. 

Winona State (3-4 overall / 1-3 NSIC) is coming off of a pair of home court losses to Wayne State College, where the Warriors lost a heartbreaker, 58-57 on Friday, Jan. 29 and battled back admirably from a 14-point deficit on Saturday, Jan. 30, but lost 84-78. 

Kevion Taylor had a strong weekend for the Warriors against Wayne State, averaging 21.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg across the two contests.  Freshman Connor Dillon had a 21-point outburst in the Saturday affair, his second big scoring game of his freshman season, while Owen King had ten points in each game. Taylor's nine boards on Jan. 29 represented a season high in the rebounding category. 

Heading into the games this weekend, Winona State head coach Todd Eisner and his staff will be looking for the Warriors to fire on all cylinders against the Mavericks.  

For Minnesota State (7-3 overall / 6-2 NSIC), the series represents their second straight homestand, as the Mavericks hosted the University of Sioux Falls last weekend, splitting with the Cougars.  Head coach Matt Margenthaler and his squad have won five of their last six games and currently sit atop the NSIC South. 

Read on for the tale of the tape between Warriors and the Mavericks, set to suit up on Friday, Feb. 5 and Saturday Feb. 6 at the Taylor Center on the campus of Minnesota State University - Mankato. Tipoff times are 6pm and 2pm, respectively. 

To view the Winona State Fan Guide for following Warrior basketball, please click here.
   
Schedule In Pencil… While the Mavericks have been able to play all ten of their NSIC contests this season so far, Winona State has had half of their slate either canceled, rescheduled or otherwise changed due to Covid-19 considerations. WSU has played a total of seven games overall in 2020-21.
 
Four-tunate… The Mavericks currently have four players averaging double-digits in scoring, with Quincy Anderson leading the way at 17.4 ppg, good for sixth in the NSIC. The Warriors answer to Anderson is Kevion Taylor, who is third in the league in points-per-game at 19.0. 

Getting on Board... In addition to leading their respective squads in scoring, Taylor and Anderson are also tops on their teams in rebounding.  Taylor has averaged 6.4 rebounds across seven games; Anderson is at 6.1 boards over ten contests. 

Charitable Gaming… Kevion Taylor leads the Warriors, and is fourth in the NSIC, in free throw percentage.  Taylor is 33-for-37 from the stripe, good for a .892 mark. 

Brilliant Blocking ... The Maverick's Kelby Kramer is second in the NSIC in blocked shots, averaging 2.2 swats a game. 

Helping and Handling… Winona State's point guard Devin Whitelow is averaging 4.4 assists per game on the year, currently fourth in the NSIC.  He is also third in assist/turnover ratio, committing only 11 turnovers compared to 31 helpers on the year.

It's a Team Thing... Minnesota State and Winona State are both middle-of-the-pack in terms of team offense in the NSIC; WSU is 10th in scoring, averaging 73.9 points per game; the Mavericks are seventh, at 75.6 ppg. 

It's a Team Thing, Two… As a team defensively, Minnesota State is second in the NSIC in team defense, holding opponents to 68.0 points per game. The Warriors are 11th, conceding 78.1 per outing. 

From the Floor… In seven games this season, Winona State is 174-for-381 from the floor, good for a .457 mark as a team.  Minnesota State-Mankato is shooting .455 in ten games, going 270-for-594 as a team. 

Keep 'er Moving... Since Dec. 18, 2010, Winona State holds a 13-9 advantage over MSU-Mankato and won their last match-up, 79-72 in Mankato on Feb. 22, 2020. 

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

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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