WINONA, Minn. -
Alec Rosner scored 36 points against the University of Mary on Friday evening, leading the host Warriors to an 89-78 victory in a game where both teams had their shooting sights dialed in.
For Rosner, the repeat trip to the 30-plus point plateau provides him with the second-highest scoring outing of the season in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), an impressive feat that comes just two weeks after he scored 34 against St. Cloud State on January 15 in a 94-72 Warrior win.
Against UMary, Rosner was quick to heat up, hitting the first bucket of the contest - a 3-pointer just 15 seconds after tip-off - and had the final say in the matter, hitting a pair of free throws in the last moments of the game, his 35th and 36th point of the night.
In between those scoring plays were two teams with an offensive mindset, as the Marauders and Warriors shot 52.8% and 58.5%, respectively, from the floor in the contest. Distance did not matter for either of the two teams, with both shooting lights out from behind the arc. WSU hit 14-of-24 three-point attempts and UMary made 11-of-22. Both squads were solid at the free-throw line with Winona State shooting 72.2% (13-of-18) and the Marauders 73.3% (11-of-15).
Winona State led at the break, 46-40, but UMary clawed back in the second half, at one stage staking themselves to a seven-point lead over WSU at 63-56. However, with just over ten minutes to go in the game, Rosner and Warrior teammate
Connor Dillon combined to find the WSU shooting rhythm that was present in the first half. WSU quickly turned a 72-72 tie with five minutes to go into an 87-78 Warrior lead as the clock wound down. Sent to the line in the last 30 seconds of the game, Rosner put an exclamation point on his performance, hitting both free throws to end the scoring for the game.
Luke Martens tallied 17 points and had a team-high seven rebounds in a game where he was perfect from three-point land, going 3-of-3 in the game from distance and 7-of-9 overall. Leading the team in minutes played was
Devin Whitelow, who dished out seven assists in 36 minutes of Warrior work, notching two steals and scoring 11 points along the way.
Connor Dillon added 14 points, tying his season-high best scoring mark, set previously against Viterbo on Nov. 17.
UMary was led by Kai Huntsberry with 25 points. Jacob Jackson had 17 points and six rebounds for the Marauders.
Rosner also hauled in three rebounds and collected a pair of steals for Winona State, who now have won three of their last four games. Only one player in the NSIC has scored more points in a game this season than the Warrior junior, with Southwest Minnesota State's Isaac Fink notching 37 in a Dec. 4 game against Augustana. Rosner cracked the WSU single-game scoring top-10 list, tying several former Warriors including Jonte Flowers with the 36-point scoreline at tenth all-time. The best all-time single-game mark in Winona State history stands at 51, scored by Herschel Lewis against Michigan Tech on Feb. 18, 1972.
Winona State moves to 12-6 overall and 8-5 in the NSIC South, good for third place in the division. The Warriors will host Minot State on Saturday, January 29 at 5:30 pm in McCown Gymnasium, home of WNB Financial Court.
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
Print Friendly Version
