WINONA, Minn. - The Winona State University men's basketball team is well-positioned to extend their winning streak to three games when they host Minot State University on Saturday, Jan. 29 at 5:30pm.

The Warriors (12-6, 8-5 NSIC) will look to make short work of the Beavers (12-5, 6-5 NSIC) and ride the momentum of Alec Rosner's 36-point performance on Friday, when WSU beat UMary, 89-78. Minot State fell at #20 Upper Iowa on Friday, 77-62.

Read on for more regarding Saturday's contest which will tip off at 5:30pm in McCown Gymnasium on the campus of Winona State University.

Who: Winona State University vs Minot State University

What: The Warriors  (12-6, 8-5 NSIC)  will face the Beavers (12-5, 6-5 NSIC)

When: Saturday, January 29 with a 5:30 pm CST start.

Where:  McCown Gymnasium on the campus of Winona State University.

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Winona State Warriors:

Alec Rosner scored 36 points on Friday vs. UMary, the second-highest NSIC single-game effort this season. With the outing, Rosner cracks into the Warrior all-time single game category, tied for 10th with several players, most recently Jonte Flowers.

The Warriors return home after capturing an impressive victory at Northern State, taming the Wolves in front of nearly 3,500 fans in Wachs Arena. 

The Warriors come into the weekend 4-1 at home, with their only home loss being against #5 UMD. In the four home wins, WSU has won by an average of 17.25 points. Two of the wins have come against ranked opponents (#17 Minnesota State, #13 Upper Iowa).

Minot State and Winona State have played 11 times since 2011, and WSU holds a 9-2 record in that span. The two teams last faced off in the 2019-20 season, when the Warriors won 73-68 in Minot, N.D.

This weekend is the last weekend of cross-divisional play as WSU will have six NSIC South Division games left to wrap up the regular season. Winona State currently sits fourth in the NSIC South and sixth overall.

Winona State holds a 12-6 overall record and 8-5 NSIC record. With the win over UMary on Friday, WSU rose to third in the NSIC South and fourth overall.

Heading into the weekend, WSU has the fourth-best defense in the NSIC, allowing their opponents to score just 69.0 points/game. Offensively, the Warriors average 73.1 points/game for a 4.1 scoring margin.

The Warriors are averaging 8.9 made 3-pointers each game, which is the third most in the league. As a team, WSU knocks in 36.2% of their shots from downtown.

Winona State has three players averaging double figures, led by Alec Rosner's 17.4 points/game. Devin Whitelow (10.5 ppg) and Luke Martens (10 pgg) also are large contributors for WSU.

Martens is fifth in the NSIC in rebounding, averaging 7.8 rebounds each game.

Whitelow is averaging 4.2 assists/game, and boasts a 2.4 assist/turnover ration. Each mark is top-10 in the conference.

Connor Drew has started all 17 games as a true freshman for Winona State and averages 9.4 points/game. In the win over Northern State, Drew scored a career-high 23 points on 10-17 shooting to help WSU pick up a key road victory.

Winona State will return to the road next week when they travel to Wayne State College and Augustana University. 


More on Minot State:

The Beavers are 12-5 overall and 6-5 within the NSIC. They currently sit in second in the NSIC North. Minot State lost to #20 Upper Iowa on Friday, 77-62.

Heading into the weekend, MSU is the second-highest scoring team in the NSIC, averaging 86.6 points each game. On defense, they allow 72.6 points a game for the second-best scoring margin in the league of 14.1.

Minot State shoots the ball with the best efficiency in the conference, knocking down shots from the field at 53.4% and shooting the deep ball at a 0.414 percentage.

As a team, heading into the weekend, four different Beavers score double-digit points and six average more than eight points each game.

Melvin Newbern (15.4 ppg), Cam'ron Dunfee (14.6 ppg), Kody Dwyer (12.8 ppg), and Max Cody (11.6 ppg) lead the way for Minot State.

Newborn is also a rebounding machine averaging 9.6 rebounds/game, the second most in the NSIC.

Dwyer is atop the conference leader board in field goal percentage, sinking 75% of his shots from the field.

Max Cody leads the NSIC in assists, averaging 7.5 each game and has a total of 120 assists this season. He holds a 3.3 assist/turnover ratio.

Minot State will return to Divisional action next week, traveling to Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston.

The Beavers will travel to Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston next weekend, returning to NSIC Divisional play. 

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