WINONA, Minn. – Playing their last regular season home game of the 2021-22 season, the Winona State women's basketball team faced Concordia – St. Paul on Thursday with the chance to dent the Golden Bears second place record in the NSIC South Division as well as for a Warrior standout to join the 1,000 point club. When the dust settled, Winona State was mission-accomplished on one front with
Emily Kieck scoring her 1,000th career point, but the Warriors fell to CSP, 50-47.
A balanced scoring effort in the first half saw Kieck,
Taylor Hustad and
Alex Dornfeld each score four points in the opening 20 minutes. A superb defensive effort by the Warriors held Concordia - St. Paul to 17 first half points, the lowest CSP scoring total at the break this season. The second quarter in particular saw WSU contest every CSP shot, holding the visitors to just five points in the second stanza on a 2-of-10 shooting effort in the second 10 minutes.
After the break, the back-and-forth affair tightened up even further, with the two teams trading the lead three times in the final two quarters. CSP made up some ground in the third, outscoring Winona State 16-9, earning a two-point lead heading into the last ten minutes of the game.
With NSIC postseason plans on the horizon for both teams, the fourth quarter took on a playoff sense of urgency.
With the score 42-41 CSP, the Golden Bears' Jaydn Hanson hit a first free throw and then found the rebound on her own miss on the second to score an unconventional three-point play and provide her team a four-point lead. At 90 seconds to go, a Winona State timeout yielded a chance to draw up a scoring play and
Caitlin Riley delivered, hitting a three-pointer with 1:15 to go to close the gap to 46-44. However, CSP responded in their next possession with a two-pointer of their own and, forced to foul, WSU saw the Golden Bears pull away at the free-throw line late.
For Kieck, her arrival on the 1,000 point plateau came via a 3-pointer in the third quarter, part of her 14 overall total. The senior from Baraboo, Wis. also finished the game with four assists and three steals, leading the Warriors in those categories as well. A staple in the Warrior lineup since 2017, the two-time NSIC All-Academic guard also holds impressive numbers in her final season including 25 consecutive starts and the most minutes played (815) on the team in 2021-22.
As a team, Winona State shot 19-of-67 (28.4%) from the field and 8-of-26 (30.8%) from behind the arc. On the evening, WSU was awarded just two free throws, scoring one. CSP was 13-of-17 76.5%) from the foul line and 18-of-47 (38.3%) from the floor. Winona State out-rebounded Concordia - St. Paul, 38-36.
The Golden Bears (17-7, 13-7 NSIC) were led by Lindsey Becher with 15 points. Sydney Zgutowicz added 14 points and had 12 rebounds.
Winona State (12-13, 9-12 NSIC) will conclude the regular season at Minnesota State – Mankato on Saturday, hitting the road to face the nationally ranked Mavericks. Tip off for Saturday is set for 1:30 pm in the Taylor Center.
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.
