WINONA, Minn. - In their Saturday, Nov. 5 exhibition game against Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, the Winona State University women's basketball team scored the first bucket of the game moments after the opening tip and tallied the last basket just as the final horn sounded in a 94-41 victory in McCown Gymnasium, home of WNB Financial Court. 

The cross-town rivalry was decidedly one-sided in the first two quarters, as Winona State outscored SMU 25-9 in the first frame and 24-9 in the second to take a 49-18 edge into the locker room. Head coach Ana Wurtz and her team remained consistent in the second half, notching 23 and 22 points, respectively, in the final two quarters to pull away from the Cardinals. 

As a team, WSU shot 56.3% from the floor and were an impressive 9-of-22 from behind the arc. The Warriors were a force down low, scoring 54 points in the paint and leading from start to finish. Winona State hauled in a total of 40 rebounds in the game, compared to 22 for Saint Mary's. 

Ava Sergio led Winona State with 15 points, while guards Lauren Fech and Mattie Schimenz both notched 11 apiece. Fech was 3-of-4 from three-point territory, while Alex Dornfeld and Stephanie Dasbach tied for the team lead in rebounds with seven each. Fifteen different players scored in the game for Winona State.

Saint Mary's was led by Brooklyn Paulson with 20 points in the game. Paulson had a team-high five rebounds and the Cardinals were held to shooting just 22.6% from the floor on the night. 

Winona State now turns their attention to the 2022 regular season as the Warriors prepare for a trip to Puerto Rico next week. WSU will open a three-game stand in Puerto Rico with a Friday, Nov. 11 game at the University of Puerto Rico - Bayamon.