WINONA, Minn. - The Winona State University men's basketball team will host a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) first round playoff game against the University of Mary on Wednesday, Feb. 23. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. in McCown Gymnasium, home of WNB Financial Court.
Fans, please note NSIC Tournament ticket prices are as follows: $10 General Admission, $2 Students, Children under 5 are free. Ticket prices are set by the NSIC and regular season passes do not apply to NSIC Tournament contests. The first 300 Winona State students with a valid ID shall receive admission thanks to President Scott Olson and the Winona State University Foundation.
UMary and Winona State have faced off on two occasions already this season. The Warriors beat the Marauders 86-70 in a neutral-site contest in Moorhead, Minn. on Nov. 27 in a non-conference game. On January 28, WSU defeated UMary 89-78 in a NSIC contest, a win that stretched the Warriors winning streak over the Marauders to 13-0, dating back to March 3, 2010.
Within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) postseason picture, the winner of Wednesday's contest will move on to the quarterfinal round at the Sanford Pentagon. There, the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs await, having earned the first-round bye. UMD will face the winner of WSU and UMary at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 26.
Read on for more regarding the Winona State - UMary match-up, which will tip-off at 6 p.m. in McCown Gymnasium, home of WNB Financial Court.
Who: Winona State vs. University of Mary
What: The Warriors (15-10, 11-9 NSIC) will host the Marauders (10-16, 9-12 NSIC)
When: Wednesday, February 23 with a 6 p.m. start.
Where: McCown Gymnasium, home of WNB Financial Court on the campus of Winona State University.
Winona State - UMary Notables
Postseason prognostications:
Winning streaks...Keep 'er movin'... WSU is 15-0 against UMary dating back to February 6, 2010. The last time UMary beat WSU was January 3, 2010, a 87-85 Marauder win.
Survive and advance ... It is officially postseason play and the NSIC Tournament is a single-elimination bracket, so each game could potentially be the last. The winner between the Warriors and Marauders will advance to take on Minnesota Duluth at 11am on Saturday, Feb. 2 in the NSIC Tournament quarterfinals at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Familiar foe ... Winona State and UMary have faced off twice this season. WSU won the first matchup 86-70 at the MSUM Thanksgiving Classic on Nov. 27. The Warriors defeated the Marauders again on Jan. 28, when they won 89-78 in McCown Gymnasium, home of WNB Financial Court.
NSIC Tournament history ... Winona State has won five NSIC Tournament championships ('01, '06, '07, '08, '11). They last played in the NSIC Tournament in 2020, when they fell in the quarterfinals to Minnesota Duluth. The Warriors are 11-1 in NSIC Tournament first round games at home, with their only loss being to UMD in 2018.
Warriors - Marauders NSIC history ... Winona State and UMary have faced off three times ('08, '10, '11) in the history of the NSIC Tournament, each of which has been a first round contest. The Warriors have been victorious in all three matchups.
Home sweet home ... Winona State is 8-2 at home this year, where their only losses have come against #5 Minnesota Duluth and Southwest Minnesota State. Earning a home playoff game was important, and now the Warriors will look to use the home-court advantage to advance in the NSIC Tournament.
Rosner's right hand ... Alec Rosner has been a key part of the Warriors offense this season, averaging 18.8 ppg. Rosner has the most 30-point games (3) in the conference, and he also has the third-most 20-point games (12). He is shooting 48.9% from the field and 43% from beyond the arc this season, averaging 2.3 3-pointers made each game.
Milestones?... Check and... Check... On Thursday, Feb. 17, Devin Whitelow joined the Winona State 1,000-point club and head coach Todd Eisner captured his 100th victory as the Warriors head coach.
Winona State notables:
Winona State finished the regular season 15-10 overall and 11-9 in the NSIC. They finished fourth in the NSIC South and seventh overall.
The Warriors are fourth in the NSIC in defense, allowing just 70.7 points per outing. On offense, the Warriors have scored 73.9 points/game for a 3.2 scoring margin.
Winona State averages the second-most 3-pointers made each game in the NSIC, knocking down 9.2 shots from deep per contest.
Alec Rosner is third in the NSIC in scoring, averaging 18.8 points/game to lead the Warriors. Rosner also has the most 30-point efforts in the conference with three 30-point games, and he has the third-most 20-point games, with 12 of them.
Devin Whitelow averages 10.1 points/game and is top-10 within the NSIC for assists (4.5/game), assist/turnover ratio (2.5), and steals (1.4/game).
Luke Martens scores 10.6 points per game and leads WSU with 7.4 rebounds/game, good for fifth in the conference.
The UMary - WSU matchup is unique in the NSIC, as most first round contests feature a North - South pairing of teams playing for just the second time this season.
UMary notables:
The Marauders finished the regular season 10-16 overall and 9-12 in the NSIC. They earned the fifth seed in the NSIC North for the NSIC Tournament.
Last weekend, UMary fell to Minnesota State University Moorhead on the road (65-79) and also to Northern State (70-78) at home to end the regular season.
The University of Mary averages 69.6 points/game and they allow an average of 75.4 points per contest to their opponents.
Kai Huntsberry leads leads the Marauders in scoring, averaging 18.3 points/game. That mark is the sixth-most in the NSIC. He also averages 4.5 assists each game, which is tied for fourth in the league.
Gertautas Urbonavicius is the only other player to put up double-figure points as he averages 10.3 each game. Five others average at least five points per contest.
Kam Warrens picks up team-high 6.3 boards a game to go along with his 8.8 points/game.
The Marauders are just 2-9 in road games this season, including a 78-89 loss at Winona State in January.
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.
